Our Artistic Ways
by Zelha
Summary: Our Artistic Ways is a oneshot collection that follows the same themes as Silver and Emerald Days and Crimson Genii. This time, Deidara and Sakura show us their life after Cynchick's Silver Lining. Various ratings, AU.
1. Theme 3

Hi guys! This is another one-shot collection with the same themes as the last two. I'd like to thank Cynchick for her opinions, her awesome betaing and most importantly, her permission for me to recreate this series after her Silver Lining universe. These, of course, are mainly for her but also for all the DeiSaku fans out there.

Now, without further ado...

-

**Our Artistic Ways**

**Theme**** 3: Forgetting an important date**

-

The waves were rolling as usual, soothing her senses as her mama used to say they did every single time they came over to see Uncle Kisame.

"So, little princess," Kisame drawled, amused as the little blonde girl pouted as she always did when he directed that endearment at her. Not because of the 'princess' part but the 'little'.

She was a big girl! She was going to enter the Konoha Academy next year!

And she also had friends who respected her; Kazuki and Toshio were her best buddies ever, and Asuma-kun was the _best_ ninja she had ever met... after her mama and daddy, of course.

For Kaya, watching her parents sparring was like watching something magical. Her daddy's clay birds were awesome, and her mama's avoiding skills were the best thing ever. She wished to be a super kunoichi like her mama was, so she did her best to learn everything that Kazu and Toshi taught her.

This of course, brought a little bit of exasperation from her daddy and her mama, because of one time she came back from Uncle Naruto's Waterfall soaking wet.

When her mama asked about her clothes' state, she simply told the truth, not missing the sudden glance that her parents had shared when she relayed her chakra exercises with her friends over the water surface.

But the training had paid off, seeing her Uncle Kisame grinning with those pointy teeth of his with pride.

"When did you learn to walk over water?"

"The other day with Kazu and Toshi," Kaya explained with a happy smile of her own. "What do you think, Uncle Kisame?"

"You did very well, little princess," the tall man said, making her pout once more.

"Why do you keep saying I'm little? I'm a big kunoichi!" she protested, suddenly hearing low chuckles coming from behind her.

"Come on, Kaya," her daddy said with that little smile that only curled one side of his mouth as she ran up to him and he lifted her easily into his arms. "What did he do this time, hmm?"

"Uncle Kisame is mean!" she exclaimed, crossing her little arms on her chest. "He says I'm little and I'm not! I'm a big kunoichi like mama!" she ranted, suddenly looking at her daddy's amused blue eyes. "Right, daddy?"

"Kaya, your Uncle Kisame is the tallest man we know," her mama said, smiling gently at her. "Of course he sees everything as little from his point of view, don't you think?"

A sudden breeze lifted her mama's pink hair, blowing it softly. It was so nice, her mama's hair; its color was so pretty and it was so soft, Kaya loved to play with her mama's hair and making little braids on it. But daddy's hair was even prettier; its color was just like her own hair but way longer, giving her the opportunity to knit more braids in its lovely tresses.

Kaya's brilliant emerald eyes regarded the tall blue man in front of her with a suspicious glance. Something told her that he was just playing with her head like the last time he used the 'princess' word with her mama.

"Mama, if Uncle Kisame says I'm a princess, how come you're not a queen? You should be, if I'm the princess!"

Strangely enough, Uncle Kisame burst out laughing and her mama giggled. Something was amiss; they knew something Kaya did not.

"And that would make daddy a king! Right, daddy? You're a king!"

Her daddy's blue eyes narrowed with the sudden lopsided grin he gave her. "Well, if you want I could be the king of our home, yeah. Then you get to be the princess and your mama the queen of our house, how about that?"

"You mean our house in Konoha?" she asked with wide eyes. She _loved_ her house. It was gigantic!

She tried to remember that moment when they entered that old house for the first time. Hokage-sama was saying something about her mama inheriting that house but Kaya never understood, so busy she was exploring all the cool corners and hiding places. The girl had missed her daddy's quirk of an eyebrow when Hokage-sama had said the name of the person who left that house to her mama, but paid enough attention to her when she skipped to him and pulled his shirt, telling him that she liked the house.

Hokage-sama had smiled and patted her head softly, before saying goodbye and inviting them for dinner the next week.

Kaya blinked, dispelling her own reverie and hearing her mama talking.

"I knew that Kakashi was part of a clan, but he never told me that he had such a huge house. He always lived in that little pad, so it was really surprising when Shikamaru told us about this inheritance he had left me."

"It's a nice house, yeah," her daddy added with a shrug, lifting his face as Kaya leaned her head on his shoulder.

"I like our house," she announced. "And I like Uncle Kisame's house, too."

"You should," he said. "I've built that room for you, little princess."

"Mama!" she protested, wiggling in her daddy's embrace. "Daddy, let go! I'm going to kick Uncle Kisame! I'm not little!"

"Come on, sweetie, he's just kidding," her mama said with an amused smile. "Besides, he doesn't know that today you're a big girl."

Only then Kaya remembered; today was _her birthday_!

"See, Uncle Kisame?" she said, changing her mood from irate to smug in an instant. "It's my birthday today, I'm five years old! I'm a big girl now!"

"Is that so?" her blue uncle said with a tilt of his head. "Then you're big enough to fish your own dinner. Let's go."

Wiggling again to be released, her daddy lowered her to the floor. Fast as a yellow little flash, she rand behind her uncle, yelling for him to wait for her.

A little while later, as she waited for the fishes to bite, she saw her mama and her daddy walking on the sandy beach. Her daddy's yellow hair glinted in the sun; while her mama's pink hair color was a little darker. Both of them had swimming suits, and they were laughing at something.

Bur suddenly her daddy swiped her mama into his arms, lifting her easily and running towards the water, as her mama laughed and squealed. It was so awesome to see them playing like that.

Kaya loved when her parents played with her.

"Uncle Kisame," she said in a whisper, knowing that the fishes didn't like he noise. "Can I go play with mama and daddy?"

"Sure, princess. I'll take care of your fishing, but come when I call you to get the fishes back to the house."

"Hai!" she yelled as she ran away, missing how her uncle sighed when he noticed the pretty bow she made with the line of the rod.

Sure enough, her parents received her happily, and they got to play together in the water, splashing each other and having fun. Her daddy lifted her to his shoulders as they swam around the beach, and Kaya promised to herself that she would learn to swim soon.

That night, as she was tuck into bed by her mama, she looked at her lovely green eyes and yawned.

"I liked this birthday," she mused sleepily. Her mama smiled.

"Don't worry baby, you'll have more birthdays like this one."

Kaya hoped so. Birthdays with her daddy and her mama were simply the best thing ever.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

**AN:** Thanks for reading! 8D More to come soon.


	2. Theme 5

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme**** 5: Absences during a Mission **

-

For a person like Deidara, the concept of parenthood was a bit... strange.

Having a little girl like Kaya had certainly filled a part of his heart that he never thought he had. And having a woman like Sakura by his side, the mother of his child, was something he'd never thought of ever doing.

He simply wasn't cut for parenthood, as simple as that.

However, seeing Sakura's body changing to accommodate the new life they had created, among mood swings and everything that came with the stage of life called pregnancy, gave him the time to accustom to the idea.

He was a father. And his child was something else, he noted with a smug, proud smirk when he saw the baby girl for the first time. Deep green eyes like her beautiful mother, but a tuft of blond hair, just like his.

Certainly, Kaya took the best of both of them... including the bad temper.

That was why he had to summon all his reserves of patience when he came to pick Kaya up from the Academy and found her wearing the most endearing frown-pout. At least, it was kind of endearing for him.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly, knowing how his daughter was when she was in a bad mood. She was too feisty for her own good, and Kazuki and Toshio could perfectly attest to that statement.

Large green eyes peered up at him. "Mama hasn't come back yet?"

Deidara had to take a deep breath, already dreading the explosion it was surely going to ensue.

"I told you, Kaya. She went on a mission with the Hokage's wife," he explained, kneeling next to the bench where the little blonde was sitting. "They needed to go to Wind Country to check up on some things."

Kaya nodded thoughtfully. He waited for a moment, knowing that this wasn't the end of the entire matter.

"Aunt Temari told me she's from Wind Country," he heard her musing softly, almost to herself. Deidara only could stare in surprise at his offspring when she started counting facts with her fingers. "And Sunagakure was in Wind Country. Since Shika-sama said in class that Suna was not there anymore, then mama and aunt Temari are doing a reconnaissance mission... right, daddy?"

Deidara had to let out an incredulous chuckle. "Yeah, they're doing one of those. Want to go home now? I bet you have some homework to do, yeah."

"I already did it, see?" she opened a scroll with a questionnaire completely filled. "Today's class was about the types of chakra, and you've already taught me those, daddy."

"Hmmm, yes I did, didn't I?" he mused as he straightened to his full height. "I think it was your mother who told you about that. But it's time to go home, Kaya. Mama won't be happy if she finds out we're out so late, yeah."

"But the sun hasn't even set!" the little girl protested as she felt herself heaved up by her father. "And I wanted to go to Ichiraku for dinner!"

Deidara's pale blue eyes stared at his little girl's unabashed and eager green orbs.

"Is that so? What would your mother say if we have ramen for dinner? You know it's not really a proper meal, yeah."

This is how the mighty fall, he thought. He remembered Kisame laughing his ass off when he caught him bouncing his child up and down in the middle of the night, on the special occasion of Kaya having refluxes due to a change in her diet. Sakura had gone to bed already, tired and almost falling from exhaustion, mumbling to herself how incredibly tiring was to take care of a little one, even more so than a A-Class mission.

And now his lovely offspring was pouting, pulling a gesture she had surely seen her mother doing when she wanted something from her awesome and sexy blond partner.

"But mama is not here! How could she know about us having ramen for dinner if she's away?"

"Trust me, Kaya. She'll know. Your mama knows pretty much everything that happens when she's not around."

"Then don't tell her!" his daughter said with the smugness of a six-year-old little genius. "It would be our little secret!"

As much as he wanted to laugh at her sudden mischievous tone, remembering how Sakura herself sounded when she was up to do some silly prank on Kisame or even Shikamaru, the sternness of his woman's threat when she was preparing to go was still fresh in his mind.

More specifically, her threat regarding Kaya's newfound obsession with the salty noodles and broth.

Deidara sighed again, knowing that Kaya was going to pitch a fit if he didn't humor her at least once during her mother's absence. "Alright," he finally said, a vein jumping in his temple when she suddenly cheered loudly too close to his ear.

"Yay! Ramen!"

He would think of something to placate the hellcat of a lover he had when she came back from her mission. But for now, he had a duty to humor his other girl, who was currently hugging his neck under the premise of choking.

"Daddy, you're the bestest ever!" she said with a large smile.

_This is how the mighty S-Class nin falls, under the charm of a little girl's smile_, he thought with a pleased smirk to correspond his daughter's grin.

"You have to promise you won't tell your mom," he continued. She nodded enthusiastically as he made his way through the streets towards their destination. "And you have to promise me you'll be good and eat everything."

"Hai, daddy!"

"That's my girl, yeah," he said with a tone not devoid of pride. "So, the types of chakra," he continued, as he placed her on a stool inside the ramen bar and nodded in greeting to the woman behind the counter. After placing their orders, he turned to his daughter, as she was currently balancing her chopsticks on the tip of her index finger.

"Yeah, the chakra-types are five, Fire, Earth, Lightning, Water and Wind, and most shinobi have more than one element – daddy, you can use Doton jutsu, right? What's mama's type?"

"She can use three elements, yeah," he said matter-of-factly. "Plus, there's something she has that I don't. Perfect chakra control."

"Yeah..." Kaya trailed off, her mind already in the bowl of ramen that the lady behind the counter had placed in front of her.

Thinking the topic closed, Deidara also dug in, realizing that after a day of solo training he was indeed famished.

"I miss mama," he heard his daughter whispering. Turning to see her, he noticed her green eyes a little dull with sudden sadness and longing. "It's been five days already. I want her back."

Deidara only could lift the little one onto his lap and allow her to hide her face in his chest. "Me too, baby. I miss her too. But she's doing something she needed to do, do you understand? A mission is not exactly a vacation. It's a job, yeah."

"I know," came the answer from below his chin. "I just... miss her, so much."

"Yeah, I know."

Maybe Sakura would forget the ramen and start focusing on the two who needed her as much as this village needed her. Maybe more, Deidara thought randomly as he stroked his daughter's beautiful blond hair.

"Want to finish your ramen now, hm? We have to get home at some point, yeah. We can practice those clay moldings you wanted tomorrow."

Kaya smiled. "I think I'd like that, daddy."

A sharp pang ran across Deidara's senses when he saw that tender smile he remembered seeing on Sakura's face when he confessed to her on Kisame's pier. Kaya had Sakura's smile, which made her even more beautiful.

He almost couldn't wait for Sakura to get home to tell her.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Oh come on, we know Deidara would spoil his daughter rotten! XD Thanks to Cyn for the beta and thank you guys for reading! 8D


	3. Theme 1

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme**** 1: Meeting the Family**

-

Sakura smiled knowingly when she noticed Kaya's surprised eyes surveying the huge manor.

Of course, the Hyuuga Compound was something to be admired. With lovely details and white walls, the Clan premises were neat and stark, just like many of the silvery-eyed clansmen Sakura had met throughout her life.

"Mama, is this Kazu and Toshi's home?" her daughter whispered in awe. "Wow, it's awesome!"

Sakura nodded, brushing back her own hair with a hand. "Not really, Kaya, they live down this street in the house around the corner. But I want you to remember to be polite. The Hyuuga Head is a stickler to traditional rules, so you'll have to behave correctly towards him."

"Hai, mama, I won't let you down," she said, nodding with determination. Kazuki had invited them for dinner, to celebrate Toshio's and Kazuki's coming of age. Toshio had been ecstatic to the idea of a gathering, and thusly prompted his surrogate mother Hanabi for them to welcome the blonde girl in their circle.

Not as if they hadn't welcomed her already, but having a six-year-old girl with little mouths on her hands that could pretty much kick both of their asses in their group was something to be reckoned.

Sakura noticed how Kaya brushed her hair back like she did; retying the ponytail and leaving out the little braids she favored so much. Kaya loved for her mother to help her with her clothes and combining the colors, but her hairstyles were entirely her creations.

"Ready?" Sakura asked to her kimono-clad daughter, who grinned eagerly.

"Yeah!"

-X-

Hanabi greeted both Haruno females pleasantly, as she always had been towards Sakura. Kaya had bowed charmingly, her light green kimono complimenting the gold on her hair and the emerald of her eyes. Sakura had chosen to wear a cream-colored one with dark green leaves on its hems, her short pink hair gathered in a little ponytail.

"I thought you were coming with Deidara," observed the silvery-eyed Uchiha. "The invitation was for the three of you."

"Yes, but he apologizes for his lateness, he had a sparring session with the Hokage scheduled for today."

"I thought he didn't want to come," Hanabi whispered with a secretive smile. "Neji-niisan hadn't been really amused with his presence lately in Shikamaru-sama's meetings."

Sakura snorted softly. "I've been told about it," she answered in a whisper as she stared at the children's greeting each other. Kazuki was wearing a dark blue yukata with the Uchiha fan embroidered on the back, and Toshio was clad in the light browns and whites of the Hyuuga formal robes. "And it doesn't help that Shika called him to decode an Earth Country scroll. Neji as ANBU Commander is surely not amused."

"No, I am not," a deep voice sounded down the hallway. "But his inputs had been useful at best."

"Hello, Neji-san," Sakura greeted formally, taking her girl's little hand in her own. "This is my daughter, Kaya."

"Good evening, Hyuuga-sama," the little blonde chirped, bowing perfectly towards the tall male, much to his inward reluctant approval.

"Good evening, little one," he replied properly. "Let us lead you to the dining room. "Dinner is being served as we speak."

Sakura caught Hanabi's eye and smothered a laugh. Trust Neji to be uncomfortable and cold towards everyone but his family. But as they took their seats around the table, the pink-haired female noticed how Neji's eyes softened quite distinctly when they passed over his nephew of sorts, Toshio.

"Where are your sons, Neji-san?" Sakura asked softly. Neji blinked and nodded towards her.

"They are on a special training today," he said simply. "They're preparing to take the next Jounin exams."

"Oh, how old are they?" she asked politely, as she heard her daughter giggling at something Toshio whispered to her.

"They're turning seventeen next month," Neji answered amicably, his eyes following something that glinted on Kaya's wrist; a little silver chain bracelet with a dangling cherry blossom pendant. "So how old are you now, Kaya?"

"I'm six years old, Hyuuga-sama," she answered readily, blinking her large emerald eyes at him. "I'm in the middle course at the Academy."

The usually stony face of the Clan Head moved with the rising of a perplexed brow. "The middle course? You must be very intelligent then, Kaya."

A servant interrupted their conversation as they were let known that Deidara had arrived. A hard frown settled over Neji's face, but he didn't say anything. The blond man ducked into the dining room, nodding formally to the Hyuuga as he threw a smirk to his life partner.

"What took you so long?" Sakura asked with a smile. Deidara shrugged.

"Shikamaru's Kage Mane is rather hard to break, yeah," he explained simply. "Thanks for the invitation, Hyuuga," he added, looking at the Clan Head. "I hope you don't mind us mooching of you this evening."

"Not at all," Hanabi said pleasantly. "It was time for us to gather and spend some time together, isn't that right, Neji-niisan?"

"Of course." Neji deadpanned, turning to his nephew. "How did you find the Fire Temple, Toshio?"

"A little bit run down, Uncle, but everything is being rebuilt by the monks."

Sakura smiled softly as she noticed that Deidara's hair was a little bit wet from his shower. He had actually gone home to wash up, and that spoke volumes about how he wanted to accommodate to her wishes. Knowing how the former Iwa nin was at some point of his life, he would have appeared all sweaty from his workout, politeness and propriety be damned.

"What?" he asked softly, his pale eyes running over Sakura's kimono-clad form with a pleased smirk. She blushed lightly, knowing that hinted leer that told her that he rather liked her choice of attire.

"Nothing," she teased, but her hand went to brush the still moist strands on his shoulder to his back. "You didn't kill him, right? It would be really troublesome to get another Hokage at this time of the year."

Deidara snorted. "No, he actually gave me a hard time because we stuck to middle-range ninjutsu. He's a tough opponent, yeah."

"So how is your class, Kaya?" Kazuki asked, smiling at the little girl, who blushed a little but answered nonetheless. Deidara suddenly frowned at his girl's reaction, but didn't say anything.

"Middle course is a bit better than the beginners' one," she said, placing her chopsticks properly on the table as she spoke. "The History class is interesting, but I like the Ninjutsu class more."

"That's what we said the first time, but everything levels up when you get to study about the bijuu and the Hokages."

"Oh yeah!" Toshio piped in with a large, giddy grin. "I liked that class! They told us about our dads and stuff they did during their lives. It was a bit weird to talk about my father's actions in class, but his achievements as the Rokudaime Hokage were great for the village."

"We are all proud of him," Sakura said softly, blinking to overcome the sudden blurriness of her eyes. "Kaya, could you give them our presents? I think they might enjoy them."

"Yes mama," the blonde girl stretched her hand to receive the little lacquered box from Sakura. "This is for... Toshi, yeah, congratulations!"

Neji straightened in his seat and Hanabi gasped in surprise when they took in the necklace that the girl was holding.

"It belonged to your father," Sakura whispered, smiling tenderly. "It was a gift from the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade-sama. She said once that it was made by the First himself, how about that?"

Toshio's silvery-azure eyes lit up in utter happiness. "This is from my dad? How awesome..." he trailed off in emotion as he took the necklace from Kaya and slipped it over his head. "I... I don't know what to say, aunt Sakura..."

"How about a 'thank you'?" she said with a forced laugh. "It was time for that to return to you, anyway. I kept it safe all these years, and it's yours now."

"Thank you, auntie Sakura," the teen Hyuuga said with his eyes glittering. "This is the best present ever. Thank you so much."

"You're welcome!" Kaya said with a smile, sticking her hand on the box again and pulling the next item and offering it to Kazuki. "And this is yours! Congratulations!"

Hanabi gasped again. "Is that..."

"Yeah," Sakura said with a cautious smile. "I also figured it was time for Kazuki to have all the Uchiha mementos he could gather. This necklace--"

"I know," the dark-haired teen said in a subdued voice. "It belonged to my uncle."

"Yes," Sakura said calmly. "It's okay of you don't want it, though..."

"No, no..." Kazuki replied hastily, looking at his mother for a long moment. "I'll... I'll take it. It's just that... I never knew you had this, aunt Sakura."

Sakura's smile turned wistful. "It was part of my past, but it is also part of your heritage, Kazuki."

"Mom told me everything about my dad and my uncle," the boy said with an uncomfortable smile. "I understood everything, and I came to terms with everything that happened between them," he explained with an assured tone that reminded Sakura of the former owner of the necklace. "Thank you, auntie Sakura. I'll treasure it as well."

She smiled fondly to the boy as he also slipped the necklace on. He was so much like his father that she suddenly thought that Sasuke was sitting there, across the table as he turned to listen to Hanabi's praise. Toshio was also very much like Naruto sans the markings on his face, so for a moment she had the impression that her former teammates and heart brothers were there with her, laughing over a remark made by the blond.

Her decision to give the necklaces away to them was prompted by a night where Sakura was going over her things with Kaya. Her daughter had found them and she had to explain to her who they belonged to, giving her blonde offspring the idea of giving them to her older friends.

But now, seeing them sharing a snicker and a sulky pout, falling on the same dynamics that Naruto and Sasuke had once, Sakura knew she had made the right choice.

She blinked when she felt a warm hand covering hers. Looking up, she saw Deidara offering her a napkin. She had started to cry without realizing it, lost in her reverie.

"Are you alright?" he asked with a hum. She nodded as she wiped her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm okay..." she whispered, linking her fingers to his. "It was something I had to do."

He could understand, of course. She had treasured those things dearly, because they were part of Sakura's life. Seeing her brothers' boys talking and engaging her own child in intelligent conversation under their eyes was like witnessing a new era; that was why she had felt it was time to give those presents to the teens.

Deidara had watched her keenly as she explained everything to Kaya back home, leaving the Uchiha Massacre out of the explanation for obvious reasons. He was lying on the bed as both of his girls were sitting on the floor, as their daughter surveyed each of her mother's mementos as a kunoichi attentively.

It had been hard for Sakura, but it seemed that she was sharing these memories because they also needed it. Deidara wasn't dumb, Itachi's necklace and Naruto's pendant were part of her most prized belongings, but as she had explained to him that very night, the memories would remain although others were wearing those tokens. They were family, after all.

Not minding in the least where he was, he took Sakura's hand and kissed it, conveying his support through his kiss. His hand-mouth nipped softly at Sakura's fingertips, making her let out a soft, huffed laugh.

"Thank you," she murmured as she kissed his cheek.

"You're welcome, yeah," he said with one of his smirks. But she knew better.

She always knew better.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

Thanks for reading! 8D


	4. Theme 4

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme**** 4: Movie Night**

-

A lazy morning was something enjoyable at best, thought Sakura randomly as she poured herself a cup of coffee. The hospital shifts had been quite easy since the closing and reclusion of Konoha, so she only dealt with mischievous children, not to mention bored shinobi who overdid it in their own sparring sessions.

Because a shinobi was a shinobi, even in times of peace.

Kaya bounced into the kitchen a little while later; her hair already combed and tied neatly in a high ponytail with two braids to compose a bow on her little head. The amusing thing was that she was still wearing her baby blue pajamas.

"Good morning, mama!" she chirped a little bit too loud, making Sakura remember distinctly about another blond who got on her nerves on early mornings with his seemingly endless stamina and cheerfulness.

"Good morning, honey," she greeted nonetheless in a patient murmur. "Daddy is still asleep, so let's keep it down, okay?"

"Oops, sorry," whispered her daughter with a sheepish smile. Her embarrassment didn't last, though, for a mischievous smirk – she was going to punch Deidara for teaching Kaya how to smirk like him! – formed on her girl's lips. "Mama, a movie theater is opening down the street in front of Ichiraku!"

"Is that so?" Sakura asked distractedly, her mind on a Team Seven reverie. She blinked and lifted a brow at her child. "So you want to go check it out? What are they screening?"

"I don't know yet, mama, Toshi told me after school yesterday but daddy came to pick me up and he brought me home in a piggyback over the rooftops so I couldn't see the theater..."

"Take a breath while you explain things, baby, yeah," a gruff deep voice came from the hallway, signaling Deidara's entrance to the kitchen. "You're going to confuse your mother with all that information."

Sakura only lifted her brow at him while throwing a smirk that said 'teapot calling the kettle black'. Deidara yawned.

"But you didn't want to pass in front of the theater and I want to go see a movie and since mama has the day off I thought it would be awesome if we go there!"

Deidara sighed deeply while Sakura snorted in amusement. Sure, their kid had spunk, just like the both of them, but she _really_ didn't understand where she got her morning exuberance.

"So do you want to help me with my training today, Kaya? Afterwards we can go check that theater if you want," the pink-haired woman cajoled, watching her daughter beaming at the suggestion.

"Do I get to sit on your back again, mama?"

Sakura laughed. "Sure, why not?"

"Hey I want to sit on your back too," Deidara said teasingly, one of his smirks behind the coffee mug. Sakura rolled her eyes and pointed at Kaya, who was wearing the very same smug expression on her face.

"I'll be the one sitting on your back, blondie," she said petulantly. "Want to hit a movie?"

"Why not, yeah."

-X-

Training with Kaya was something along the lines of a highly risky adventure, because at age six she had already started to work on her bloodline trait. Deidara was trying to devise a training plan for her, but some meetings with Shikamaru prevented him from doing so. Therefore, she only practiced her chakra control exercises for the time being.

They really, really didn't want to repeat the experience with the Hyuuga twins, who were passing in front of them in the park where Kaya had been playing by herself, only to have both brunette teenagers straightening in surprise when she skipped back to them and showed a little pink tongue that came out from her little, white hand in a rather mocking gesture, pretty much like Deidara did to Sakura back in that fateful hostage operation.

This, of course, prompted for them to practice in the grounds of the former Hatake home, now known as the Haruno house.

Sakura felt a breeze tangling her hair playfully when she stepped out of the house, making her smile. In a big house like this one they had plenty space for them to play whatever game Kaya liked to play at the moment. Her thoughts on Kakashi and what had made him leave the manor to her, she bumped into Deidara's chest.

"Sorry," she murmured as he nuzzled her hair. "I was just thinking."

"It's okay, yeah," he said softly, to resume his smug loud tone. "Kaya is hiding and I can't find her, yeah. Do you know where she is?"

Catching up, Sakura blinked and shrugged. "I don't know; she disappeared!"

"It seems that we'll have to track her, hm," he said, sniffing the air exaggeratedly. "We need to find her if we want to go catch that movie, or course."

Sakura smothered a giggle as both sprinted towards the trees behind the mansion, following their preferred game of tag. Sakura won most times, but only because Deidara liked to have Kaya gaining the upper hand.

-X-

Still giggling, Kaya skipped towards the movie theater as both her parents followed her at a more sedate pace. Deidara sported his usual smug smirk, and Sakura pulled her tongue at him in childish retaliation.

"You cheater," she grumbled with a pout. He just laughed softly, grabbing her hand in his, his mouth-hand kissing her palm. This seemed to appease the sore loser he had as a life partner, as both of them looked up to the movie posters the theater was screening.

"That one looks good, yeah," Deidara commented, pointing to a poster. "It's about wars in the air and people with light swords... hm."

"That one is about a girl entering a high-class university," Sakura said, pointing to another poster. "So that might be probably boring as hell, although the chick is blonde."

"Indeed," he agreed with a disgusted face as the rest of the sentence sank in. "Hey, what do you have against blonds?"

"Nothing, my daughter has blond hair, you know," Sakura stuck out her tongue again as she laughed. "Oh! That one looks cool, it's about two people looking for a weird artifact in tombs and the like."

Deidara glanced sideways to her. "I'm sticking to the first one, that one seems way too boring anyway, yeah."

Kaya chose that moment to return with a wide grin. "Mama, Daddy, I bought the tickets!"

Sakura looked at Deidara. "You gave her the money?"

He shrugged. "She's the one who's really into this, hm."

"You're going to love this movie!" Kaya kept chattering. "It's about a panda bear in a ninja academy!"

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Kaya pwns them all. xD Thanks to the lovely Cynchick for her beta!


	5. Theme 12

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme**** 12: Dealing with a Pet**

-

Deidara only could stare in secret awe as his little daughter flipped in the air and answered the shuriken attack with one of her own.

"She sure is something else," Shikamaru drawled at his side, looking impressed under his seemingly disgruntled and lazy façade. "I'm surprised she can perform the bunshin jutsu like that."

As if on cue, Kaya's form poofed away in smoke as the real one sneaked behind the blond teen she was facing, tackling him with all her strength onto the floor.

"Oof!" Toshio said as their watchers snickered softly. "Kaya-chan!"

"She pushed him down with chakra," Sakura said with a large, proud smile. "It seems that she got the hang on the chakra control."

It was rather obvious that Toshio had let her win, but she had proven to be a run for his money.

"She always had, yeah. Remember how she liked to stick onto the roof and mask her presence?" her blond life-partner said with a mock frown. "You weren't the only one suffering a heart attack, yeah."

"Of course I remember, I haven't see you paling so fast since Yotsuba," she teased, earning a glare from Deidara as he recalled that particular and very displeasing occasion.

"Not funny, Sakura," he said lowly, watching how her gaze softened.

"I know," she murmured as she lifted her head to nuzzle his neck. "Sorry."

"But it was the same feeling, yeah," he went on, understanding the lesson in emotions she was trying to impart him.

"Now you know what I felt when I saw _you_," she whispered in his ear, hearing Shikamaru sigh heavily.

"Get a room," the Hokage grumbled, making Sakura laugh. "You look like freaking newlyweds."

She was about to shot back a remark when she saw a flash of yellow running towards them. "Mama! I did it!"

"Yes you did!" she celebrated her daughter's new Taijutsu accomplishment with a smile. "We only need for you to get better with your clay molding and you can take the exams for the next Academy level!"

"Yay!" Kaya cheered as she twirled, making her golden tresses fly in a wide circle. Her hair was getting longer, Sakura observed, but knowing her little one she wouldn't have the heart to approach her with a pair of scissors in hand. The medic was well aware how Kaya wished to have her daddy's hair-length, and it looked like she had accomplished that wish as well. "I'm going to be a Genin soon!"

Sakura's eyes slid to Deidara's for a moment to set on Shikamaru's, who shrugged.

"One step at a time, Kaya-chan," the pine-apple-haired Kage said lightly. "Why don't you master the water-walking exercise first?"

Kaya looked like she had been insulted, and it showed on the sudden flat voice she employed in her reply. "I did, Shika-sama. My mama taught me at my Uncle's house."

Shikamaru's keen eyes flew to Sakura's, who smirked smugly. "Uncle?"

"Yep, a friend of ours," she said noncommittally, looking at Deidara. "He loves Kaya very much."

"Yeah, that worthless piece of scum, yeah," he added with a careless shrug. The Nara leader understood that he wasn't going to get any info from them anytime soon, so he settled for a mid-glare at Sakura.

"Dangerous?"

"Only when drunk," she teased sarcastically. "Otherwise he's as sweet and quiet as a goldfish."

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed, but relented. "I don't want to know," he drawled. "As for you, Kaya-chan, well done. I'm very impressed with your advances."

"Thank you, Shika-sama!" she chirped, gifting him with a brilliant smile. "I'm going to get better, I promise!"

"I'm sure you will," the Hokage said gently before nodding at the little girl's parents and walking up to Toshio, who was being relentlessly teased by his brother, fact hinted by the disgruntled pout in his face.

"That was close, yeah," Deidara murmured softly to his lover. "We should remind Kaya about keeping him a secret."

"Nah," Sakura shook her head. "He already knows we're protecting someone. And if he doesn't push it it's because he trusts our judgment... or mine."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence," he remarked snarkily, making her laugh out loud.

But something in Kaya's sudden silence as she wandered back to them made them forget their bickering.

-X-

"Baby girl," Deidara sat next to his daughter on the engawa, as the fireflies swarmed around the nearing trees. "Is something the matter, hm?"

"No daddy," the six-year-old said, almost convincingly but with that little tone that told her perceptive father that something was indeed wrong.

Looking up to Sakura, she sighed softly and joined them, pulling up a limp Kaya onto her lap.

"Honey, your daddy and I know that something is upsetting you," she murmured onto her girl's hair, smoothing the straight tresses softly. This motion always seemed to calm the little one, feeling safe in her mother's arms.

"Why is everyone always thinking that I'm too little for things, mama?" Kaya said grumpily. "I'm a big kunoichi! Just like you! Just like auntie Hanabi!"

Noticing how Deidara sighed in relief from the corner of her eyes, Sakura fixed her eyes on her daughter. "Kaya, there are some things that require a certain age to be regarded," she started cautiously, well aware that her baby was too intelligent for her own good. "You see, sometimes you can't do things because you wouldn't understand the how or the why of those things. Sometimes, not even the grownups can understand the reasons of some things--"

"So I need to wait to have an opinion," the girl finished for her and deflated, pouting in frustration.

"Kaya," Deidara intervened, opening his palm and showing her one of his mouths. "These can make people feel wary, yeah. I know you don't have that problem here, but I did. If people can't understand how we use these, they can't understand your wishes to be regarded as a big kunoichi, don't you think?"

"It's not as if Shika-sama is belittling you, Kaya," Sakura continued. "He just wants you to grow at your own rhythm. School will always be there, and ninja missions won't disappear just because you want to play one day instead of practicing with shuriken."

Deidara's keen eyes had noticed it at first. There was a group of girls in Kaya's class that rejected and insulted her for having that Kekkei Genkai of his. He had mentioned it to Sakura, so that was why they had gone together to pick her up after school that day. A little damage control didn't hurt from time to time, and Deidara knew his pink-haired partner was the indicated to talk to their sometimes moody daughter. He could deal with girl problems alright – by disappearing the boy that dared to approach his baby girl, much to Sakura's exasperated chagrin – but seeing his usually playful Kaya so down because of some talk-down was something that really, really did not amuse him.

"I was going to wait until your seventh birthday to give you this," Sakura said, showing her daughter a little scroll. "But I think you're ready for this now."

Kaya perked up, still frown-pouting. Deidara had to refrain the snicker that threatened to spill from his throat, keeping watch on his girls as they made way to the ground yard.

Sakura sat on the floor in front of Kaya as she unrolled the parchment. "This is a very precious thing, honey," she instructed, in that soft voice that her daughter had come to recognize as fond when she was about to speak about her past as a super cool kunoichi. "I received as a gift from a person really dear to me, and now it's time for you to learn this jutsu."

Deidara straightened, his eyes widening in surprise. Sakura had certain creativity when it came to simple but effective jutsu, but something that involved a scroll only could mean something.

"This is the ninken scroll," Sakura explained to Kaya with a soft smile. "I'm going to teach you the Summoning Technique."

If Deidara had doubts about this, all of them dissolved into nothing with the way Kaya's features seemed to light up with awe, surprise and excitement, like a little sun.

"Really?!"

"Yes," the pink-haired medic said with a giggle. "Pay close attention, sweetie. There are very few hand seals, but the chakra you need to offer to actually call forth something will depend on the size of the summoning."

Kaya nodded, her green eyes fixed on her mother's hands. Sakura smiled.

"_Kuchiyose no Jutsu!_"

When the puff of smoke cleared, an old pug lifted his head warily. And then he opened his muzzle and spoke, much to the little blonde's surprise.

"...Sakura-chan?"

She grinned widely. "Hey, Pakkun," she greeted warmly; reaching to him and letting her fingertips caress his head. "You look--"

"Old, I know," the little dog replied with a huff of pleasure as he leaned his head to Sakura's hand to allow her petting. "Who's the little one?"

"This is my daughter, Kaya," she introduced formally to the momentarily stunned girl. "Kaya, this is Pakkun, the chief of the ninja dogs and an excellent tracker."

Deidara did allow his snicker to erupt now, earning a middle glare from the pug, which lifted his head and sniffed the air several times.

"She smells like honey and saffron," he drawled in a lazy tone. "Very different from your own scent, Sakura. I take that one is the father?"

"Yes, Pakkun, Deidara is Kaya's father," she confirmed with a faint reprovingly tone, as the pug nodded his head once and looked around. "And yes, this is the Hatake house."

"I haven't been here in years," the little dog said conversationally, "I take you finally got tired of running amuck, Sakura? Good, because I was kinda worried about you."

"We've been here for the last three years, Pakkun," Sakura relayed, displaying the scroll over the ground in front of Kaya. "And I think it would be nice for you guys to have another person to play with," she added, looking at her daughter. "What do you think?"

"Hmm," the pug shrugged noncommittally as he stood from his haunches and went to Kaya, who seemed to follow his every move curiously. "Lemme see your hands," he ordered.

"It's okay, baby," Deidara said from his perch. "He won't bite you. And if he does, you can always bite him back, yeah."

This seemed to calm Kaya, who extended her white palm to him. Pakkun surveyed the little mouth on her hand, and after a little while he pushed his head to her hand, making her pet his fur.

"She's good enough for me," Pakkun declared. "And I think she'll enjoy playing with us too. It's been a long while since we got to play with children, since Kakashi was a little brat."

Sakura laughed as she took a kunai. "What do you say, honey? Do you want them to be your friends? They will help you get better with your training. You must remember though, that a summoning familiar's friendship last for life, so you have to be sure you want them to stick around."

Kaya lifted her other hand and petted Pakkun's head softly, with careful moves. After a little while, she smiled at the pug and nodded. "I like him," she murmured with awe. "Do you want to be my friend?"

"Sure, sweetheart," the dog answered with a soft bark, as if he were laughing. "We are going to protect you, and in return you're going to let us be with you."

Kaya's face lit up like a sun once more. "Okay!"

As Deidara watched his little girl nicking her hand to sign up the ninken's scroll, he had to notice how Sakura's face seemed to glow with happiness and pride. Who cared what a bunch of little snot-nosed, shallow girls had to say about his girl's Kekkei Genkai. His daughter was one of a kind, and he decided to take active part in her training. Shikamaru will have to eat his words, because Haruno Kaya was going to progress like nobody's business.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"

Another pug dog appeared in the clearing with a loud bark, and Deidara suddenly wished for Hatake Kakashi to have another summoning familiar instead of dogs.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Thanks for reading! 8D


	6. Theme 10

Warning: Explicit sex scene ahead!

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme**** 10: Smut!**

-

Thunder crackled around the forest as they made their way to the huge boulder.

"I hate rain," one of the two people complained with a displeased frown-pout as he surveyed the massive rock carefully. "Especially in winter. Goddamn hailstones, yeah."

"Come on, it's not that bad," said the cloaked figure by his side with a slightly sarcastic tone. "At least we know Kaya is safe from this storm."

"What I wouldn't give to be at Kisame's, fishing on the pier," Deidara muttered as his hands went to check the solidity of the rock that loomed over their heads. "We wouldn't be freezing our asses off here."

"Deidara, you complain too much," Sakura observed as he made the necessary hand seals to perform his technique. "I thought you were the one that wanted some time alone."

Grumpy light blue eyes slid to all too amused emerald ones. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"

"I'm ecstatic as a person freezing their ass off can be," she shot back sarcastically. "I'm going to get some twigs to make a fire."

"Don't bother. I have some here, yeah," he said as he yanked a dead branch from the nearest tree.

"You sure are a dear, resourceful partner," she deadpanned. He shrugged.

"Hey, I'm from Earth Country, I don't care much about trees, yeah. And you shouldn't care either, for your mean, shattering hook."

Sakura laughed as both entered the newly made cave, spacious enough for both of them to stretch but not so much for them not to feel the scent of the other.

"We need to get back soon," Deidara commented as he arranged the branch and snapped it in three parts. "Kisame isn't exactly the best suited to be a nanny, yeah."

"He's a genius assassin, this couldn't be more difficult for him than actually sneaking in some Daimyo's palace to kill someone," Sakura said as her hands slid over each other easily, summoning her fire jutsu. Blowing softly over the wood, they were gifted with soft light and crackling warmth. "Don't tell me you're nervous about leaving Kaya with him?"

A frown-pout was shown. "I trust the guy enough, but Kaya is just one year old, yeah."

"You are such a worried daddy," Sakura teased as she took off her black cloak and spread it near the fire. "Don't look at me like that. You know he's taking care of her the best he can."

"Whatever," he muttered as he took his solid black cloak off as well. "We'll have to wait out the storm. Have a blanket? You're shivering, yeah."

"My ass is freezing," she said absentmindedly, rubbing her hands on said part of her body. "This is the last time I wear a skirt for your viewing pleasure, you pervert."

"Oh come on, Sakura," Deidara mock-whined with a smug smirk. "You look fucking hot with that skirt. If we hadn't been enemies when we first met I'm positive I would have tried my hardest at getting under it, yeah."

"Fuck you," she grumbled, extending her hands over the fire. Suddenly a pair of warm hands grabbed her hips, pulling her to a taut, excited body.

"I'd rather fuck _you_, yeah," he murmured next to her ear, sending shivers down her spine. "I can unfreeze that ass of yours if you want."

Sakura laughed at his outrageous and lewd proposition, but sighed in contentment when his arms wrapped around her. It had been a few days without sex, due to the errand they had to run to a paid contact of Sakura's from Konoha. A lot of talking, much to Deidara's exasperation, and two signatures later, they were the proud owners of Kaya's birth certificate, which told the world that both of them were the parents of the most beautiful and charming little girl of the entire world.

She knew that he had put up with all the paperwork for her, and really, he needed to be compensated for that patience-wearing experience.

"We didn't set traps," she said, a little out of breath as Deidara took it upon himself to nuzzle her neck, while his masterful fingers teased the hem of the black shirt she was wearing. "We could get caught with our pants down."

"Don't care, yeah," he said huskily, sneaking a hand under her shirt and the other under her skirt. "I want you _now_."

When a tongue unrolled from his hand and started flicking over her beaded nipple, she knew no reasoning would make him stop and behave. Her bad boy was horny as hell, and come to think of it, she'd been wanting to jump his bones for a while now.

"Besides," he added, testing the clothed apex of her thighs and growling in satisfaction when he found her already wet. "This is way more fun, yeah."

Discarding the shorts she had under her skirt and making a quick work of her panties as well, he pushed her onto their cloaks, on her knees. It wasn't the first time he took her from behind, and he knew she was as eager as him to get started.

Dragging her shirt zipper down and tugging her bindings loose, Deidara cupped her full breast once more in a forceful but possessive manner. Motherhood had changed Sakura's body for the best, and he wasn't above of telling her how hot she had become every single opportunity he had. Her breast were fuller, her hips were rounder but still sexy as hell, and her navel, flat once more and leaving no evidences of her pregnancy, was much more responsive than it had been before.

"Do you have any idea of how much I love this sweet body of yours, hmm?" he whispered huskily as she threw her head back with a gasp as his hand-tongue stimulated her breast. "You're always ready for me, my muse, my everything, yeah."

Trust Deidara to be the best in sexy bed talk, Sakura mused randomly as she turned her head and captured his lips in a fiery kiss, swallowing his grunt as her ass ground on his pelvis in a wanton manner.

"I have to say yours is quite entertaining as well," she panted after pulling away to take some air. "Deidara..."

He was certain that he wasn't going to get tired of hearing her moaning his name like that anytime soon. Feeling her hands working his pants open and pulling out his shaft, she started pumping him enticingly, much too aroused to care about the rain that pattered outside the cave.

"Yes," he hissed, moving his hips along to enhance his sensation. "Bend over baby, yeah."

She released him and leaned on her hands, leaving her on all fours and her ass in the air, exposed to his hungry gaze.

None too gently, he placed himself in her opening and wrapped an arm around her waist with a sadistic smile Sakura missed. She was in for a wild ride, that was for sure.

And the fun part was that she knew that perfectly.

Teasing her opening with the tip of his manhood and hearing her resulting frustrated moan, he realized once more that he was the luckiest man alive to have such a responsive woman that loved him.

"I swear to god, Deidara!" she panted, arching her back beautifully to his artistic gaze. "Keep teasing me and I'll break your arms again and have my wicked way with you!"

"Such a feisty woman, hm," he drawled sarcastically before burying himself to the hilt within her. "Such a tight, lovely muse..."

He started a deep rhythm, pulling out and pushing in slowly but powerfully, Sakura's moans and pants reverberating all over his makeshift cave. Her inner muscles were compressing him so tightly he felt wrapped in a velvety fist. He shifted his hips a little, pressing onto that spot that never failed to make her cry out.

"Deidara!" It was always effective, he thought smugly, but then her insides started to flutter around him, signaling the final stage for her edge and sending him into frenzy.

Grabbing her shoulders, he pulled his pink-haired lover flush to his chest. "I want to hear you, Sakura," he growled, cupping both her breasts and enveloping her nipples with his hand-tongues, which bit and lapped eagerly as she threw her head back and arched her back, her skin rubbing onto his seal as she reached her peak.

And of course, the wailing of his name never failed to set him off as well, shuddering as he poured himself inside her.

The lovers relaxed, basking in the warmth of each other's embrace. Sakura's back was again pressed to his chest, sighing in pleasure and contentment at being in Deidara's strong embrace.

But her sense of touch reminded her of a little thing she always had meant to tell him.

"Deidara?"

"Hm?" he hummed questioningly, as she turned her head and regarded him with those lively emerald eyes he loved so much.

"Promise me you won't unseal that mouth, ever."

His ice-blue eyes locked onto hers in surprise. Then he understood why she was asking him that. He wasn't alone now. He had her and Kaya to think of before making any reckless decision in battle. Not that there was any battle coming up, but still.

"I promise, yeah."

She smiled. "I'll hold you to it."

"Believe me, I'm not going anywhere without you."

And of course, she believed in him.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

Thanks for reading, and much love to Cynchick for her beta! 8D


	7. Theme 2

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme 2: Meeting an Ex**

-

One day, Deidara woke up alone in bed.

It wasn't a recurrent occasion, for his lover liked to remain within the protective, warm circle of his arms as long as possible. Kaya was three and a half years, so she needed to be surveyed constantly. Since the sticking-to-the-ceiling episode, that is.

But the strange thing was that he couldn't feel their presence anywhere in the house.

Getting up and stretching lazily, Deidara looked out the window, taking in the interesting details of the neighborhood below. The Hatake property was located on a little hill, so the big windows provided a really nice view of part of the village of Konohagakure.

Truly, the former Iwa ninja never got tired of that view. It was always changing, always moving; the old lady that tended her clothes in her roof, the young ones that sneaked out to make out hidden in a balcony, and the seasoned ninja that practiced katas first thing in the morning.

And the hot, pink-haired woman that went about her morning stretches before making breakfast.

Only that the hot woman wasn't there.

Furrowing his brows, her went about his morning routine and wandered over to the kitchen, where he found a note attached to Kaya's stuffed monkey. Both his girls were together, out for a stroll.

It was really thoughtful of her to let him know where they were, but he really didn't want to be alone at home.

Especially in such a clear, sunny day like the one that was just beginning.

-X-

Very few people remembered him as the former Akatsuki, one of those ninja terrors that brought anger to every warrior and fighter of the Leaf. It was a simple thing, really. Time managed to erase his past deeds, changing people's opinions and memories.

And since Shikamaru called on him from time to time to spar or merely by standing next to Sakura, a respected legendary kunoichi, one of the New Sannin, his character and old customs found their way into oblivion.

But many people remembered him. He didn't mind the few glares or how people seemed to get out of his way as he walked down the street as he directed himself to the Hokage tower, the Hospital or the Academy. He really didn't mind the people gazing in morbid curiosity at his lax hands in public.

But something inside him did mind when he heard people gossiping about him stealing the Copy Ninja's sweetheart. This of course, came from old people who knew about Kakashi's relationship with Sakura. They had seen how happy they were, back then. They had observed how she seemed to glow when she was at Hatake's side, and how relaxed he had seemed when she was next to him.

But this Sakura of his was even more radiant, in his opinion. It wasn't that he didn't remember how empty she looked when they met after all those years, during that mission for Yotsuba, but today's Sakura was more mature, a bit jaded... but it totally compensated for a life full of losses, like hers.

And those old geezers who had that opinion of him were simply blind idiots. They simply had to be blind not to notice how her eyes were full of love and life now; how her emerald orbs seemed to light up in happiness whenever they met after a day's work. Well, in all honesty she was the one that returned to her duties as the Hospital Head, but it wasn't as if he was loitering around all day.

He had a little one to train, after all.

But currently his little student and daughter was MIA, with her mother.

His steps brought him to the training grounds, the very one she had told him had belonged to her team back in the day, vaguely hoping to find Shikamaru and challenging the Shadow Master to a spar. The grounds belonged to Team Seven basically because they were formed in that very ground, working together to form a bond that lasted _forever_.

A bond that started with a proffered bite of food from Sasuke's bento with Sakura's chopsticks to a tied up Naruto.

In front of the KIA Monument, he found his girls.

Sakura was sitting, her back leaning onto the hard stone, as she was speaking something to Kaya in a soft voice. Kaya was sniffling, something that surprised him because his little girl wasn't prone to cry for banal things. If something truly upset her, she merely sulked, just like him.

Deidara leaned on a tree, watching his girls from afar. It was clear that they were sharing a mother-daughter moment, and he wasn't that foolish to go and interrupt their time.

He saw Kaya asking something to her mama, to which Sakura nodded, smiling through her tears. His lover was surely talking about those whose names were carved in the stone. Thousands of names, millions of kanji were engraved in the stone that loomed over their heads, but they weren't going over every single one of them. Deidara knew they were going over just a few names.

Kaya stretched her hand and traced one of them, a name he knew by now to who belonged to. Sakura nodded, wiping her eyes and moving her hands to cover an eye and the lower part of her mouth.

Sakura was speaking about Hatake Kakashi to her daughter, probably at her request. Deidara was well aware of his little girl's insatiable curiosity. It was a good thing that he always managed to keep an eye on her when they were at home.

He noticed that Kaya started to laugh when her mama motioned her hands into a clasped hold, with two fingers pointing upwards and later shooting them forward. Kaya's laugh quickly filled his senses, relaxing him into a strange sensation he liked to call 'sunny contentment'.

Deidara knew he really shouldn't be jealous of Kakashi. He really wasn't, per se, because of the simple fact that he was here with Sakura and...well, Kakashi wasn't.

Kakashi was gone, but he knew Sakura still loved the Copy Ninja as much as she loved him. He was aware of this, because he knew that Sakura's heart was so big that she housed love for all her teammates, her village, him and their daughter.

Finally, Kaya looked up and noticed him standing against the tree.

"Daddy!" she yelled, running up to him as he mechanically lowered his arms to pick her up. "I thought you were asleep!"

"I woke up, yeah," he said simply. He had learned that answering Kaya's random question with simple phrases was better that avoiding them. "What were you up to?"

"Mama was telling me about this awesome ninja!" his little girl said as he sauntered up to Sakura, who offered him a sheepish smile. "He was the best fighter in Konoha!"

"He was indeed," he answered as he looked down to his lover and smirked. "I met him once. He was a very sneaky guy, yeah."

Kaya just giggled and snuggled into his chest, as he kneeled next to Sakura. It seemed as if she was feeling wistful, so he merely gazed up to the Memorial.

So many names. And quite a few that seemed familiar to him. Locating the one he was looking for, he nodded respectfully towards it.

Sakura didn't miss his action, smiling softly at his way to pay respects for someone he used to regard as an enemy.

Life was the ultimate work of art, he concluded. Everything could change in the blink of an eye, and if someone wasn't looking closely, it could be missed.

"I'm hungry," Kaya's voice sounded from somewhere near his neck. Sakura let out a breathless laugh.

"Let's get some breakfast, yeah," he said standing up and offering a hand to Sakura, who smiled as she took it and he pulled her to her feet.

"Ramen?"

"No," both adults said at the same time, chuckling softly at their timing. "Let's get eggs and bacon, how about that?"

"Good idea!" cheered his little daughter as he put her down and watched her skip happily around them.

As they walked back to the village, he felt her fingers slipping through his in a loving hold.

He looked at her intently. "You OK?"

"Yeah, I was just... remembering," she said softly, leaning her head on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "I'm fine... because I have the both of you."

Glancing to the headstone at his back, he nodded again, acknowledging it.

He was gone, but he certainly helped Sakura to become what she was nowadays.

And Deidara, being totally honest with himself, had to be thankful of that. She would love Kakashi forever, but her love for Deidara and Kaya also filled her heart with hope.

And he was aware of that, too.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Thanks to Cynchick for her beta, of course. And to those who think Deidara is being way too mature, go read Silver Lining again and think for a moment about his character development there. ; )


	8. Theme 6

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme 6: Messing with the Cooking**

-

Really, he should have seen it coming.

It was almost dusk and both he and his daughter were resting from a thorough training session. Kaya was progressing in leaps and bounds, as Sakura liked to say, and soon she would get promoted to finger clay molding.

First it had been the training for Kaya to know how to use her hand-mouths, how to keep them closed in order not to scare her classmates with them. She was five now; a fully fledged mini-kunoichi with a great deal of a bad temper, especially if someone dared to badmouth her daddy. Her mama was a legend in the Academy for her sheer brilliance – "ANBU-ranked Head of the Konoha Hospital, ha!" she had bragged one day at school and Deidara happened to be around to hear it – but she always got picked on because of his Kekkei Genkai.

The good thing was that Kaya was far too intelligent to take those insults to heart. The bad thing was that some kids had heard about her daddy being a bad guy, once.

This brought a wave of black eyes in the middle-level class, to Deidara's unabashed pride.

Sakura wasn't as amused as him, but she didn't say anything. It was time for Kaya to show them how much of a backbone she had inherited from both of her S-Class parents.

That was why Deidara kept on picking her up as school, taking her to Ichiraku for a quick ramen-flavored snack and spending the rest of the afternoon training her. She was quicker now; the fact that she got the hang on the back-flipping jump while retrieving the kunai he had knocked out of her slender hand was something to be considered.

However, what she had against him was her short stature. Deidara had been so busy avoiding her traps that he didn't see the little yellow flash he had as a daughter going directly for his groin with her little but _really mean_ fist.

Needless to say, he was down for the count and Kaya was skipping around his prone form cheering her first victory against her beloved daddy.

He really had to ask Sakura to explain some things to their kid. Especially those about unspoken rules while fighting an opponent. No attacks to the groin area, please.

Nonetheless, after the pain receded and a contrite Kaya was done apologizing – again, his kid was too attentive for her own good and had understood that her hit really, really hurt him – a classmate of Kaya's was running to them, saying something about a message from the Hospital.

Deidara fought the wave of worry that flooded his senses, plucking the folded note from the brat's dirty hands tersely while Kaya thanked him with a brilliant smile.

The little boy's sudden blush was vaguely registered by her father, but he was more preoccupied with Sakura's note.

'Difficult surgery, ETA unknown. Make Kaya dinner. Don't burn the kitchen!'

Deidara suddenly felt the urge to scoff. Seriously, why he would burn the spacious and very good for a quickie kitchen?

"Come on, baby, your mother says she'll be late, yeah."

"So who's going to make dinner?" his daughter had the gall to ask. There it went the urge to scoff, once more.

"I'll make something, yeah."

Kaya shrugged, and jumped to his back as he made his way home.

-X-

"Daddy, are you sure this is done like this?" Kaya asked for the fourth time.

Deidara did frown this time at his little girl. "Why?"

"Because mama always allows the rice to be done before making the balls, and the seaweed needs a little bit of the seasoning in the fridge."

"...Alright. Go get the seasoning while I put the rice back on the burner, yeah."

"And Uncle Kisame also says that fish should never be prepared with their bones, unless they're meant to be fried."

Deidara grunted as his fingers went to the large tuna that was sitting on the counter, as she climbed to the stool and placed the homemade seasoning bottle next to the salad bowl.

Just when he thought everything was back under control, Kaya let out a squeak when he laid out the tuna onto the grill.

"Daddy!" she breathed in something akin to horror. "You didn't add salt to the fish!"

Said father breathed deeply not to explode. Kaya was only trying to help, after all.

Reaching for the salt and cursing at that surgery from hell that kept his lover away, he willed all his patience to gather for the rest of the evening. After a long while of interruptions from his beloved little girl, he was beginning to blame Sakura for not being there to handle the damage control.

-X-

Deidara slumped his shoulders pitifully when he finally closed the bedroom door and made his way to the bed, flopping onto the soft surface with a loud, tired sigh.

So that's why Sakura never allowed him to be near the kitchen without supervision. After a blistered tuna and a pot of burnt rice he had to concede defeat to his pink-haired lover's note. He was horrible at housekeeping tasks, unless she was around to guide him through the art of doing menial chores.

At least Kaya had the graciousness to shrug as if saying that it didn't matter he burned their dinner and not laugh at him. After a dinner consisting of salad and chamomile tea ­– because it would be a sad day in the world when _Deidara of the Akatsuki_ managed to burn tea – he got to clean up his mess while Kaya did her homework, and he even had to go and tuck her in bed.

He didn't mind being mushy with his daughter, really. He even got a kiss on the cheek and a cuddle from her, and her touch managed to erase all of his previous grumpiness.

"My, you look beat," observed Sakura from the doorway as she closed the door behind her. "Kaya made you lose your patience yet?"

"You did it on purpose," he grumbled as he crossed his arms over his face. "I nearly burned the kitchen down, yeah."

"I thought so," she said a little bit too cheery to be sympathetic. "I brought you dango from the stand near the Hospital."

Taking one of the sweet sticks, he observed her taking off her clothes and going over her nightly rituals with a sense of comfort. Sometimes, a little bit of routine didn't hurt, he mused as Sakura took a quick shower and finally went to the bed, stretching her arms over her head.

"It's a wonder Shikamaru didn't blow a fuse today," she confided as she tried to hide a jaw-cracking yawn. "He sent a few scouts to Rain and apparently they got attacked over there by unknown ninjas."

Now this was a break from the Hospital-related stuff she told him every night. Opening his ice-blue eyes, he gazed at Sakura, who was working a kink on her shoulder.

"Is that so," he drawled, a little too nonchalant and prompting Sakura to turn her head to stare at him. "Do you think Shikamaru wants to comb the zone, hmm?"

"Are you that bored?" she asked with a knowing smile. "Or you just want to get a break from being a responsible daddy and a househusband?"

The sulking glare she received made her laugh as she straddled his hips. His hands went automatically to her hips, massaging the soft, fresh skin.

"I think I want you to make it up to me for ditching me this evening," he said instead, feeling her warmth increasing under his hands. "We can talk about that later, yeah."

"Of course..." she shot back already breathless. "I have a graveyard shift tomorrow, though."

"Oh no, you don't, yeah!"

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Thanks once again to Cynchick for her awesome beta! 8D


	9. Theme 13

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme 13: Snowy stuff  
AN:** This is a bit of a follow-up of the last theme. :P

-

There was something about the snow that made it so appealing, Deidara concluded with a slight smirk as he watched his girls playing in Kisame's front yard. They had left Konoha to spend some time with the old shark, who kept teasing Sakura about her boobs, and she in return teased him about the myriad of white hairs on his former blue spiky head.

It was a good thing that Kaya only laughed but never joined the teasing, because that would make the former Kiri nin really sulky. Deidara had observed how the tall man had melted when he saw Kaya for the first time a few years back. Kisame had declared that for a pretty girl like her, Deidara's girly genes did a nice job.

The clay master and brand new proud daddy had glared at the shark, earning a heartfelt laughing fit from the glowing pink-haired mama.

Now, five years later, he kept noticing how Kisame seemed to get out of his routine without complaints, only to sit and watch the females playing in the snow. A pang stabbed at the blond's heart, remembering another snowball fight he had joined, several years ago.

A snowball fight that, for the first time in his life as a missing-nin, had made him enjoy his partner's company. Not to mention the Uchiha's sudden joining, thanks to the lively spitfire that was the love of his life and the mother of his beautiful daughter.

Said daughter was currently avoiding Sakura's half-assed attempts to hit her, knowing perfectly that her mama was going easy on her but for once not protesting. They were so relaxed, playing a weird form of tag with each other that Deidara heard Kisame sighing in contentment.

"Kaya is going to be as beautiful as Sakura when she grows up," the blue-skinned man commented thoughtfully. "I bet you're going to be run ragged with all the suitors she's going to have."

Deidara scowled at the mere thought of some boy wooing his little girl.

"Like you would be happy for her when she gets a boyfriend, yeah."

He smirked when Kisame suddenly frowned and took another gulp of sake.

"There would be hell to pay if the boy doesn't deserve her," was all he said with another sigh. "I'm too old to chase kids away without actually killing them."

Deidara snorted. "Samehada is giving you troubles again?"

Kisame shrugged. "I haven't touched her in almost a week," he relayed offhandedly. "She's getting cranky enough for me to try whale-hunting with her."

"I hope Sakura doesn't hear that or you'll be lectured until your ears fall off, yeah."

The shark man raised an amused eyebrow. "You already tried?"

Deidara shrugged and smirked. "Let's just say she didn't appreciate my clay-covered deer, yeah."

"That's because you went onto the Nara property, you dumbass," a female voice said in front of them. Raising their gazes, both seasoned shinobi noted that Sakura had come to them and Kaya was building something with the white material, some yards ahead.

"I told you that Shikamaru gave me permission, yeah," he shot back with an amused drawl. Sakura shook her head and smiled, sticking out her tongue at her lover. "Hey, don't do that, I have more than you, yeah," he interjected, waggling the tongues in his hands at her. Sakura laughed.

"Man, that's the worst pick up line I've ever heard," taunted Kisame. "Don't tell me you fell for him because of that, princess."

"I didn't," Sakura answered readily, a teasing grin spreading on her features. "I fell for him because of what he can _do_ with those, as the matter of fact."

Deidara snickered at Kisame's sudden look of disgust. "You've got to be kidding me, princess. That was too much information."

Sakura giggled as she sat on Deidara's lap. "Hey, you were the one that asked," she said as the blond wrapped his arms around her and she sighed happily, his hands rubbing her arms to warm them. "Besides, his pick-up lines aren't that bad, once you get used to them."

"You must be head-over-heels then, princess, I ain't a girl and I wanted to bitch-slap him into next week."

The couple laughed out loud at Kisame's outrageous remark, earning the attention of the little blonde girl that was currently staring at her own hands.

"Daddy," she called, wearing a frown-pout on her lovely features. "How can I mold something with clay inside my mouth?"

"You need to find your style first, baby," he said as the girl scurried to her parents' side. "You can practice molding clay birds with your fingers, and then we can move on to hand-mouth molding, yeah."

Kaya scowled prettily, making Kisame chuckle softly.

"I want to mold all kinds of things, not just birds, daddy."

"What about cats or squirrels?" Sakura asked, knowing damn well that her little one didn't like cats, at all.

And she didn't disappoint her. "I don't like cats, mama! They are mean!"

"What about fishes?" asked the blue-skinned nin, laughing when Kaya pouted at him.

"Fishes only move in water, Uncle Kisame!"

"Of course, but maybe--" the shark man stopped his teasing to sniff the air. "There's a blizzard coming. We should get inside."

"But I wanted to build another snowman," said Kaya dejectedly, but accepted Sakura's arms when she stood up and lifted her.

"We'll have to wait until the blizzard goes away, the temperature is dropping and you don't want to catch a cold, hmm?"

Of course, her daddy's words were always thoughtful and smart. Kaya nodded, snuggling into her mother's embrace as the three adults brought her inside the house.

-X-

Her parents had disappeared inside their room under the pretense of having a nap, but Kaya wasn't exactly sleepy. Thankfully, the cold was blocked by her Uncle Kisame's well-built walls, making the interior warm and cozy.

However, the blue-skinned male was currently dozing off in front of the fireplace, the crackling of the fire muting the roar of the wind and the falling of the snow. Therefore, the blonde five-year-old was left to her own devices.

Tracing her fingertip on the glass of the window, she managed to create a figure recognizable enough for her to smile in satisfaction. This was something she could attempt to create in clay!

Putting her fingers to work, she missed the proud, toothy grin that Kisame flashed as she worked, sitting in front of the fireplace, her itty-bitty little hands moving just like her daddy had taught her to, smoothing the soft material and her fingers shaping a little mammal head.

She was so engrossed with her task that she didn't perceive her mother and father coming out of the bathroom, all cleaned up and smirks plastered onto their faces.

But Kisame did. "Nice nap, huh?"

Sakura blushed for a moment, but giggled when Deidara smirked smugly and answered. "One of the best, yeah."

"Seriously, princess, I don't know what you see in him."

"I saw my silver lining, Kisame," she said as she snuggled into his arms, both seated on the couch in front of their hard-working daughter. Nuzzling her lover's jaw, she smiled. "And I couldn't be more grateful for his presence at my side."

"Aw, you just have to be cheesy, princess," the shark taunted with a chuckle. "I think I got cavities with that." Sakura blew a raspberry at him childishly, making the blond man snicker.

"Now, now, play nice, hellcat, yeah."

"He started it," Sakura teased back. "Hey sweetie, what are you doing?"

"I'm molding something," Kaya answered without looking up from her still formless piece. Deidara grinned smugly and Sakura rolled her eyes in fond exasperation.

"Do your best, baby, yeah." He said softly. A few minutes passed as the three adults watched the toddler playing with her clay, but soon enough they moved on to other conversation topics.

"Sakura told me about an ambushed team in Rain," Kisame started casually, making his tone light to not disturb the little girl. "What happened?"

"Shikamaru sent them to scout the ruins and apparently there was a new administration in the zone," she relayed in the same tone. "Troublesome at best, so to speak."

"I see," the shark nin nodded, aware of what she had implied. "So are you going to look around?"

"I'm convincing Shikamaru to send the two of us, yeah," Deidara said. "He promised to think about it after the festivities. We'll know when we get back to Konoha, yeah."

"Let me know if you need a third wheel," Kisame drawled with a savage grin. Sakura and Deidara glanced at each other, smiling. It was obvious that the former Kiri nin was as bored as the blond from Iwa was, and Sakura, being totally honest, found herself a little too eager for some ninja-related action.

"There!" Kaya shouted suddenly, making them blink in surprise. "I finished!"

Raising the little piece, Kaya beamed at her father, making Deidara raise a brow.

"And what's that, hmm?" he asked in an amused tone, not even attempting to be condescending with his girl because after a failed attempt to poke fun at one of her play-dough stick dolls, he knew perfectly that Kaya was as touchy as he was with their creations.

"Can't you see it? It's a piranha! See its fins here and here? And these are its teeth!"

Sakura pressed her lips together to refrain from laughing, while Deidara tilted his head to the side, trying to fully appreciate his little one's art piece.

"I like it," Kisame said, earning a lovely smile from the little girl.

"Of course, it looks like you," Sakura teased, smiling down at Kaya. "Very nice work, sweetie, I like it!" she gushed, making the man sitting beside her mutter something about how good would look the piece when blowing up.

"Daddy?" and now for the kill, Deidara thought as Kaya scooted until she was next to him and lifted the clay statue to him. "Do you like it?"

Strong and lean hands took the piece delicately from those of his daughter, examining with a critical, expert eye the nooks and crevices of the figurine. It had even _gills_, so something inside him moved when he realized that his little one had a sharp eye for details.

The statue was indeed alike to Kisame. Maybe it wasn't a bird like his, but the clay fish was rather detailed, despite how ugly it looked.

But then again, Kisame was kind of ugly, he conceded.

"I love it, yeah," he finally said, tracing the dorsal spine of the figure as Kaya's face lit up in utter happiness. "When did you see one of those?"

"In summer! Uncle Kisame caught one and showed me all its teeth! It was really creepy but really cool too!"

Deidara noted that Kisame looked at the girl with something akin to awed surprise, so he concluded that the shark man was experiencing Kaya's good memory recalling firsthand.

"Hey, the blizzard stopped!" Sakura exclaimed excitedly as she peered out the window. "Kaya, want to make that snowman now?"

"Yes!" the little blonde shouted happily as she extended her arms to help her mother pull her own jacket on. "I want to make a snow deer, too!"

"What about a snow whale?" Kisame teased with a grin. "That would be cool."

"That would need all the snow around the house," Sakura laughed as both females made their way to the door. The men followed them, finding themselves in the very same position they had before the blizzard came around, sitting on the front porch, sharing a bottle of warm sake while the girls laughed and twirled in the snowy landscape.

Pushing the middle-sized snowball forward, Kaya noted that her mama had gone to talk to her daddy and her uncle, drinking from the porcelain bottle to keep herself warm. A little of the ice dust pushed inside one of her hand-mouths, the little tongue starting to move almost on its own volition as it tried to shape a ball with the snow.

Kaya promptly forgot the snowman, grabbing another handful of snow and pressing it inside her right palm-mouth. It started chewing immediately, noticing how the tongue worked the cold material into a ball as she got the hang of the movements of her Kekkei Genkai.

Pressing a little bit of chakra into the ball, she pulled it out of her hand-mouth and threw it at the large snowball in front of her.

The kunoichi gasped and both shinobi jumped in alarm when they noted a bit of a muted explosion a few meters ahead. Kaya was covered from head to toe with snow, her surprised features changing from shock to complete elation.

Deidara was the first to recover, running to his daughter and lifting her in proud euphoria.

"You made it, baby girl!" he exclaimed as he launched her into the air, making Kaya squeal. "Your first bomb, yeah!"

Sakura snorted, but smiled widely as Deidara keep bouncing heir daughter and making her laugh out loud among screams and shouts.

"Why do I feel this is the beginning of the end?" Kisame asked, looking thoroughly amused.

"Because it is, my esteemed fish-face," Sakura laughed, ever the proud mama. "Because it is."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Many thanks to Cynchick for her awesome beta work! 8D And thanks to you guys for reading!


	10. Theme 8

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme 8: Sleeping Habits**

-

A tired sigh announced his arrival at home.

Furrowing his brow while still mulling over the conversation he just had with the Hokage, Deidara pulled off his sandals and wandered to the kitchen, intent on refreshing himself with a cool glass of water.

They had come back from Kisame's to find a rather disgruntled Shikamaru, who asked for Deidara's presence in a meeting with his personal aides. Since most of the famous Rookie Twelve were gone, the brilliant but lazy ninja had to work with the remaining forces he had.

That included Deidara, whether his counselors wanted or not. The blond's gift to the village years ago when he sent Sakura back with his family's scrolls was taken into account by the Nara. He also knew full well about Deidara and Sakura's last adventure and the other Kiri scroll presented as a peace offering. This was taken as proof of good-will, so Shikamaru had no qualms about inviting the Clay Master within his tactical circle.

Being Kage-level class regarding his abilities and general power, the former Iwa shinobi had no complaints about being summoned. After all, he had to show Konoha's Leader how grateful he was for being pardoned of his crimes. And he really enjoyed talking with Shikamaru. His retelling of his battle against Hidan was one of his favorites, much to Sakura's amusement.

The meeting was laced with tension and apprehension. Most of Shikamaru's advisors were edgy with the latest info brought by ANBU, since it was a pull on painful memories that everyone just wanted to leave in peace.

Observing Neji's stony façade and Shikamaru's annoyed countenance, Deidara heard the report by one of the ops sent to Amegakure's ruins. It seemed that someone had claimed the haunted village as headquarters for a new threat, but the gathered intel concluded that only low-level shinobi were there. But then again, someone familiar with the notorious Akatsuki Leader had to have enough guts to revive such location.

Neji stated that Suna was gone; therefore Konoha had the authority of two hidden villages, seeing that most survivors from Wind Country were currently remaking their lives within Leaf's walls. Deidara noticed Temari flinch, and the pineapple-haired Hokage frowned at the Hyuuga Head for his bluntness, no matter how useful his comment was meant to be.

Lastly, Shikamaru addressed Deidara, since he had enough information about Rain and the Akatsuki to fill a few scrolls. He had told most of it already to the Nara, of course, but trying times needed drastic measures.

And that meant nullifying those clowns that disturbed the peace in the Shinobi World.

Leaving his usual cockiness aside, Deidara had been professional and specific, pointing at several points of the Amegakure map displayed on the table and relaying all he knew about Rain's terrain. Shika had been silent, analyzing his info and devising a plan as he went. This included Deidara's request to be considered for the mission and Temari's offer to take care of Kaya. Someone had to watch the little girl while her parents infiltrated the area and reduced this new brewing threat to ruins.

Wandering down the hallway with his customary frown-pout, the blonde shinobi peeked at Kaya's room and found his daughter deeply asleep. His brows relaxed as he took in the little blonde girl tangled in the sheets, hugging a well-worn stuffed monkey that never ceased to be Kaya's favorite toy.

Entering the room and smirking ever so slightly, he pulled the covers slowly over his daughter, watching how she snuggled her face on the monkey's head in utter contentment.

Padding back silently to the doorway, he realized that this peaceful sight was something that he, the irrational and ephemeral-specialist artist, never wanted to change.

Having Kaya at his side had taught him to see those little moments that filled his heart with something akin to happiness. When he relayed this to his life-partner, Sakura had smiled that breathtaking smile of hers and told him that being a parent not only meant having an heir, but also being a protector, a provider, and most of all, being a role model.

The feeling that filled his heart at Kisame's, when his ice-blue eyes took in the disheveled and snow-covered appearance of his daughter, shocked in the aftermath of a little muted explosion, made everything Sakura told him real and true.

He felt terror when he realized how close Kaya had been to injuring herself.

He felt relief when he noticed that she was safe and sound.

He had been elated, filled with pride and satisfaction when he saw Kaya grinning with that wide, smug and cheeky smile of hers that appeared whenever she bested something.

That very night, a very drunk Kisame had confessed his terrified feeling when he sensed the explosion going off. Sakura nodded, pressing her fingertips over her heart. At least he wasn't the only one that felt it, and this reassured Deidara somewhat.

Nonetheless, this made him realize that Kaya was well on her way to become a kunoichi, and a very dangerous one at that.

No matter how unsettling this thought might be, everything was worth it when he saw his little girl sleeping soundly in that nest of sheets, long golden hair mussed and emerald eyes closed to the world, lost in her world of dreams.

This precious sight, unchanging and seemingly dull, was one of the very few things that Deidara wanted to remain like that, untouched, undisturbed.

Beautiful.

Sighing once more as he entered the master bedroom, he was greeted with another unchanging sight that he secretly adored. Sakura was also fast asleep, her loose shirt riding up her body and showing that lovely toned stomach of hers that never failed to make his blood run a little faster. Short pink hair fanned in disarray on the pillow and--

She was hogging his side of the bed.

Deidara had noticed this little quirk of hers when he had returned from a drunken, random conversation with Kisame, back in the time they had wandered the world like gypsies. Sakura seemed to miss him when she was asleep, and thus she unconsciously searched for him in the middle of her slumber, falling in his side of the bed during her sleepy search.

He only had to turn her over to make space for him, but after he lay down he pulled her to him. Her happy sigh of contentment and the murmuring of his name never failed to make him smirk, so in tune she was with his presence that she greeted him even in her dreams, with loving words that never failed to make is heart swell.

These moments of peace and stillness were so precious; Deidara thought as he draped Sakura's slumbering form over him and nuzzled her hair. These moments were part of what he secretly agreed with his former partner, about how artistic life was when was stilled for a moment.

But that point of view always dissolved in the morning, when he watched his girls jump off the bed energetically, laughing and whispering mischievously, their brilliant eyes shining happily. Those same eyes that could also change with their emotions in less than three seconds.

In the end, Deidara learned to appreciate beauty in stillness, but his artistic ways were confirmed every single day by Sakura and Kaya.

And this was the reason he asked Shikamaru that he be the one exterminating the new organization in Rain. No one could fill Akatsuki's shoes like the _real_ Akatsuki members, he concluded with an arrogant smirk.

However, deep down in his heart, he knew he wanted to protect what he loved.

Deidara pursed his lips in mocking amusement when he realized that he had adopted Konoha's _nindo_. But feeling Sakura's warm breathing ghosting over his neck and sensing Kaya's serene presence in her room, he couldn't help but agree a little with Leaf's ninja code.

When the new day came, he would protect them with all he had.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** You were right about the little subplot, hehe. They are ninjas after all, and they need a little bit of excitement every now and then!

Thanks to Cynchick and RapturesRevenge, and thanks to you guys for reading!

Five themes to go!


	11. Theme 9

**Our Artistic Ways  
Theme 9: Joint Mission**

-

"This is going to be so much fun, yeah."

Sakura merely snorted, but her smile showed how excited she was about the whole thing.

Both of them had been requested by Shikamaru to check out those rumored ninja in Rain. And since the excursion was surely going to be exciting at least, they had to go and pick up Deidara's former partner in crime.

Kisame snickered behind them, as the big clay bird made its way towards a city that neither of them had thought to visit again in their lives.

For Sakura, this was something she was eager to do. She wasn't about to allow some newbie punks to terrorize the world like the Akatsuki had back in its time. Even the former Akatsuki members weren't so keen on letting them create another time of chaos in the world, and therefore they agreed that this was rather necessary.

When asked, the blue-skinned man shrugged, but frowned. "Hell if we let another war brew under our very noses," he said soberly. "Besides, Kaya needs to grow up in a boring time of peace."

Sakura stared at the tall ex-Kiri nin in pleased surprise, while Deidara nodded with a smirk. Of course, the former Iwa nin knew about Kisame's decision; they had talked about the issue at hand while Sakura and Kaya were asleep, tired from playing in the snow.

Therefore, they simply had to bring Kisame along in their assignment. Sakura didn't mind him much because she knew how he was on a mission; focused and ruthless. She figured they would have need of his unique skills in Rain, so that Deidara could bomb those low-level ninja into oblivion while she found the answers they needed.

Sakura had to admit that going to Yotsuba and Shingo, years ago, was the first time she could see Deidara and Kisame working together as a team. She felt overpowered, having two S-Class shinobi next to her when she threatened Shingo and warned him about certain _dead_ business rivals.

And now they were flying towards a shared past. She hadn't been in Amegakure since Naruto and Sasuke obliterated the place, fighting the Akatsuki Leader. Everything related to this village was marked in pain and despair for Sakura, triggering the rage she had felt back then when she stood and saw the destruction the man with six bodies had made within his own village, disregarding lives and buildings alike in his god-like wrath and grief for his fallen blue-haired partner.

"We're going to put them to sleep," Deidara said, feeling her restlessness. "There are some things that should never be disturbed after their defeat, yeah."

"Are you scared, pretty boy?"

"Tch, you wish fish-face."

Sakura snorted, concentrating on their plan. Actually, it wasn't their plan, per se. they were going to pull a Naruto on the Rain rebels. Charging like a wild bull and obliterating everything like the blond Rokudaime Hokage had loved to do in his early days.

It was a reckless move, of course, but seeing as the three of them were a force to be reckoned when going solo, the possibilities when teamed up were... of epic proportions.

That's why Sakura wasn't too worried about this. Kisame had Samehada all wrapped up and ready, commenting when he leapt onto the clay bird about the shrill feeling of excitement coming from his chakra-feeding sword. Deidara had three clay pouches, and Sakura had a nice stack of exploding tags, assorted poisons and her chakra levels all filled up. The three of them were more than ready to do this together.

Descending and leaping off the bird, they stood on what it had been the Akatsuki headquarters. "Time to get moving," Sakura whispered. Kisame unwrapped a bit of his sword and pressed its tip onto the ground.

"No one is here," he said. "Masked or not, Samehada can always find chakra. There's no one inside this rubble."

"Let's track them, yeah."

Somewhere between splitting up and doing some recon on the site, Sakura remembered how Naruto and Sasuke had been tense and snappy during the prelude of the biggest fight of their lives. Or at least, one of the most epic.

It was funny how destiny seemed to play with her memories when she herself wasn't allowed to fight in that particular battle. She only could stand on the sidelines, watching everything unfold... much to her frustration and anger. Sakura understood why they wanted to keep her safe; it had been Kakashi's meddling that got Naruto's approval and orders. She was still sore and recovering from the vicious fight against Konan, and Katsuyu had endured humongous injuries herself, and they were pretty sure that the mere sight of a pink-haired head would set Pein's wrath on _her_.

Especially because she was the one who delivered the last blow to the blue-haired Akatsuki kunoichi in a fit of protective rage on Tsunade's behalf.

She had gotten to watch everything though; Gamabunta and Manda forgetting their differences for a moment as they relentlessly attacked the six bodies that formed Pein's godly persona. The main body had been fighting a Kyuubi-enhanced Naruto, a sizzling electrified Sasuke, and a Toad-Sage-staged Jiraiya, the three of them slowly but surely overpowering the wild, rogue Akatsuki Leader in long minutes full of tension for the viewers of said battle.

And now here she stood, amongst the rubble that once had been Amegakure no Sato, standing over what remained of Konoha's decisive stomp on her enemies.

A faint sound reached her ears, but her shoulders remained relaxed. Her senses had easily picked up the presence that was stalking her since she had split up from the other two ninjas. Being the analytical and sometimes brash kunoichi she was, Sakura's hand merely closed on two kunai under her cloak, waiting for her opponent to make their move.

She smirked faintly. Time to dance, she mused as she lifted her foot and brought it down in a cracking-ground move, using the roar of the dirt as it broke under her to disappear, shifting the roles from mouse to cat on this particular hunt.

-X-

For being tall and blue-skinned, Hoshigaki Kisame wasn't your usual opponent. He never was, with that humongous sword that was part of his trademark. That, combined with the massive amount of chakra at his disposal, made him eligible to be one of the Seven Swordsmen of Mist. He didn't have to be a genius to see they had merely used his skills for their own benefits. Kisame hadn't cared at the time, but when he'd realized there was much more from where they were reaping, he wasn't amused at all.

Akatsuki came around and he saw his opportunity to get away from Kirigakure and their greedy ways... only to realize that almost all of the shinobi involved in Pein's operation were as greedy as the idiots he had left in Mist. And then...

And then Sakura had appeared in their lives, searing their shriveled hearts with her inner fire and the brilliance of her smile. True, he had seen how she had been attracted to Itachi like the proverbial moth to the flame, and he hadn't really been surprised to see that even the cold Uchiha had fallen under her jaded, yet charming innocence. He'd kind of felt bad for Deidara afterwards, during the years they'd spent as partners, because he had seen clearly that the reckless ex-Iwa nin was in love with the pink-haired spitfire from Leaf.

Actually, that had been the main reason he went along with them when they went to deal retribution to Yotsuba and Shingo. Seeing the Princess alive and well – and listening to Deidara's story about her withdrawn stage – moved a tiny fiber the shark-nin had always associated with the pink-haired woman. Kisame knew that now that Deidara and Sakura had found each other, it was just a matter of time for them to settle down, as much as Deidara claimed to be the free-spirited asshole he always had been.

But then again, Sakura was _Sakura_, as the blond had pointed out, and it really hadn't surprised him when she had asked him to learn the Suiton jutsu because the scroll wasn't going to stay with them. Sakura worked really hard to keep his living status from Konoha, and he appreciated that.

A few shadows littered over the rubble, making him flash razor-sharp teeth in a contemptuous grin. Kids these days, he mused absently, remembering something his darling waitress had said the last time he had visited her. Kids nowadays thought that they had been born with the right to own the world, she had said with a gesture of displeasure, and he couldn't agree more with her.

Well then, he might have to thump them down a few notches to make them understand that there were some things one simply shouldn't mess with. And that included Akatsuki's former playground.

As Samehada buzzed with wicked glee, Kisame vaguely thought that he should have left the smokehouse door ajar, just a bit, in order to ventilate it somewhat.

-X-

The view from above was... impressive, to say the least.

Rubble and debris covered pretty much the entire expanse of the old Amegakure no Sato. He hadn't been there at the time, but Sakura had, and her recalling of this battle was nothing short of incredible. Had he known...

Had he known that Sakura had been there, on the sidelines, watching her teammates fighting to the death with his former so-called Leader, he might have probably come over and watched as well. The blond shinobi had heard about her fight against Konan, and how she, teamed up with the Godaime Hokage, had brought the Ame kunoichi to her demise, not before exhausting themselves in the process.

He remembered how he had tried to quell that insane urge to sneak into Konoha to check up on the pink-haired girl that had been his first and only friend since that preposterous hostage situation, but now, knowing how her life had been before and during the war, Deidara concluded with mild chagrin that it was better not to dwell about the what ifs and the what could have beens.

With the help of his scope, he noticed that Kisame had engaged a band of youngsters that kept trying to catch the large blue-skinned man to no avail. It seemed that Kisame was snickering at them, as usual for him. Deidara smirked.

To the other side of the field, a massive explosion made his senses jump with surprise and a bit of uneasiness. That was the way Sakura had taken, and--

A gigantic rock spike shot out between two ruined buildings, sending a body into the air. Steering his clay bird towards the fight, his scope caught the precise moment when his life partner had discharged a massive concrete boulder over two rogue ninjas. Focusing on her face for a moment, Deidara noted that she was wearing a ferocious scowl. She was _pissed off_.

_Che_, he thought with dark amusement. _Rest in peace, suckers, yeah_.

Dusting her hands, she waved for him to come down from his surveillance spot as she slammed one of the nins against a cracked wall. Doing as she indicated, Deidara moved down in time to hear the man, who had his throat constricted by his pink-haired lover, begging for his life.

"Nice catch, yeah," he said, blue eyes sliding to meet her dark emerald ones. "Want me to play the bad ninja?"

"That won't be necessary," she said tersely, focusing once more on her prey. "Where is your boss? And I wouldn't mind a bit of hurry in your answers, you know. My chakra is... slipping."

The man's eyes widened in terror as he felt the hand surrounding his throat closing in a forbidding move, making him cough frantically for oxygen.

"He's at the main building!" he cried out. "He claims that he can bring back the Akatsuki and wage war against the Hidden Villages again! He's insane!"

Deidara snorted derisively as he swiped his gaze around the site and spotted one of the buildings, the tallest one that filled the description. "Hm, that's a shame."

Sakura lifted an eyebrow while she finished knocking out the guy with a brief surge of chakra. "Why is that?"

"Because you can't revive something that is already alive, yeah," he shot back with a crooked smirk. "Let me get Kisame before he makes _bakudan onigiri_ with those kids."

Sakura laughed and watched how he sent a little parrot towards the shark's location. "I thought those were your favorites."

"They are, but Kaya sort of hates them because 'they look disgusting'," he mimicked his daughter's moody voice when she chose to show that mulish side that got from him.

The pink-haired kunoichi snickered as they both leapt to avoid the shattered debris, intent on the building that was their target. Kisame was already there, pulling off Samehada's bloodied and torn wrappings with a practiced motion.

"Did you kill them?" Deidara asked. The blue-skinned man looked up from his task and clucked his tongue in distaste.

"Nah, my woman might kill me if I tell her I got back with another headcount," he said with a secretive grin that Sakura didn't miss. "And I'm not getting any younger, so I have to keep her happy, you know."

"Good for you, Kisame," Sakura smiled, glad to know that even Kisame had a little certain someone waiting for him. "What's she like?"

"Tall, dark-haired and black eyes," Kisame said nonchalantly, making Sakura laugh as she realized who else fit that description. "With an awesome pair of massive jugs and an ass to die for."

Deidara and Sakura burst out laughing at his crass joke, not missing the fact that a pale-skinned man was standing in front of the building, staring at them.

"What," Deidara said after a moment, "See something you like?" he asked, not missing the leering glance the moron had sent towards Sakura's bare legs.

"Perhaps," the man said. "I thought you had blown up in the inn back then," he added, watching how the blond man stilled momentarily, fists clenched, and the pink-haired woman scowled ferociously. "I take you are here to join me?"

Kisame snorted loudly, swinging Samehada over his shoulder. "Yeah, _right_."

-X-

After a rather disappointing fight which took a low charged bird from Deidara to knock down the guy unconscious, the trio reunited again over their former HQ.

"The best thing was his face when I told him that the building had never been Akatsuki's headquarters," Kisame said with a snicker. Sakura laughed as she infused the ropes that held the so-called leader of the mercenaries with chakra, making impossible for anyone but her to free him.

"It was a surprise to learn he was involved in that murder attempt all those years ago," she said with a frown. Deidara nodded, now understanding why she had been so vicious delivering pain to that nin she had encountered earlier. Sakura however, had prevented them from killing the main guy of course, because Shikamaru had said he wanted a word with him. Being the tactical man he was, Deidara knew he wanted to make sure the revival of a terrorist organization like Akatsuki was nothing but a sham.

Armed with a large syringe that made both ex-Akatsuki wince in sympathy, she jabbed the needle into the man's neck, ensuring the state of unconsciousness that would last until they reached Konoha. Dusting her gloved hands in a mock show of smugness, the pink-haired medic-nin smirked at her companions.

"All set; this moron will sleep until we get back home."

"Remind me not to get near you when you have one of those needles in your hands," Kisame snickered, hauling their prisoner onto their winged clay transportation. "You are the scariest medic I've ever known."

"Just don't let her know when you're feeling unwell, yeah," Deidara joined the teasing, but never failing to offer a hand and a grin to his lover to help her board the bird. "Even her own daughter runs from her when she approaches her with a thermometer."

"Oh please, you're just irked that I didn't fall sick with the wave of spring flu," she smirked as she sat on Deidara's lap and his bird took off. "I told you I had a pretty good immune system; besides, all Konoha knows that having a little cold in spring is pretty much mandatory."

"In Mist it was the beginning of winter," commented Kisame behind them. "I never got sick, but almost all the village fell sick every year."

"That's because you have gills, fish-face," Deidara drawled. "How can a freak spawned from an egg catch a cold? That's impossible, yeah."

Sakura let out a hearty laugh, turning her head back and winking at Kisame. "What about you? If you have the urge to sneeze, can all your mouths do it?"

Deidara frowned and stuck out his tongue at her. "You're supposed to side with me, not help him, yeah!"

"Aw, now there comes the smooching part," Kisame said to the unconscious man as his companions shared a quick kiss.

"I'm telling you, Kisame," Sakura continued as she smoothed her lover's blond mane, "We'll be thrilled to have you with us in Konoha, if you want to see other views. You can even bring your girlfriend; there's enough space for you at the house."

"Nah, I like it enough where I am," he said with a dismissive wave. "I'm sure Konoha is a nice place to live, but now that my woman started selling the smoked fish I make I can't really lose the business. You are the rich ones, not me. Besides, I hate moving stuff around."

"Lazy ass," Sakura laughed. "Tell your mate we'll be dropping by around summer then. It would be nice to meet her."

"Speak for yourself," Deidara said with his usual cocky smirk. "I personally want to know what the hell she sees in this asshole, yeah."

"Hey, I might be an asshole and a ruthless assassin, but don't be mean when you meet her or I'll kill you."

The three of them laughed. A period of silence followed as the bird neared the beach that was the last checkpoint and where Kisame had to part ways from them.

"It was nice to get out of retirement and play ninja for a while," the shark said as he jumped down onto the sand. "So I expect you home around summer then? I'll make the special sashimi."

"Get enough sake as well," Deidara said with a cocky smirk. "It'll be like the old times, yeah."

"We make a great team," Kisame added with a toothy grin. "Princess here was a nice addition, even with her lack of tits."

"Shut up, Kisame," she said with a laugh.

"You better come over with that black string swimsuit or I'll send you back to Konoha."

"Shut the fuck up, yeah."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Of course, to understand everything, you must have read Silver Lining. :P Regarding the bakudan onigiri, that's Deidara's favorite food according to the Third Naruto Databook, released a few weeks ago. XD I hope the readers that were waiting to know more about Kisame are happy enough!

Much love to Cynchick as usual, and thanks for reading! I'll try to have two or three more soon!

Four to go!


	12. Theme 7

**Our Artistic Ways**

**Theme 7: A Secret Hobby**

-

At the foot of the long staircase, a young long-haired blond girl was staring up at the clear blue sky.

It was the seventh day since both her daddy and her mama went away on that mission. They had been honest with her and told her about a job they needed to do, alone, to gather information that Shika-sama needed. Kaya had understood, of course, because she had eavesdropped on her parents' conversation the next morning.

The good thing about staying in the Hokage's house was that his daughters were there to keep her company. They were really nice and all, but since they were nearing their twenties they didn't understand Kaya's need for play and games. Temari-sama had observed as much, and mentioned that maybe she was missing her parents. Kaya nodded gravelly, but didn't have the heart to tell the Hokage's wife that she wanted to go stay with Kazuki and Toshio.

They were really nice to Kaya. It didn't matter that both had already graduated from the Academy, they made a point to visit their auntie Sakura and the blond little one that they cared for like a little sister that needed to be protected. Kaya had been frustrated at the time, but after a trip down memory lane from her mama telling her how Kazuki and Toshio's fathers were exactly the same with _her_ when they were a team, Kaya understood why they wanted to be her protectors.

Accompanying Shika-sama to work had been exciting, but a sudden meeting with his councilors dragged him away. Making Kaya promise she wouldn't leave the Hokage Tower, Shikamaru had entered the meeting wearing a put-upon scowl.

Of course, Kaya hadn't left the Hokage Tower premises. She was merely sitting on the stairs, three steps between her and the street. Her daddy would probably frown at her understanding of the orders given, but Kaya knew he wouldn't chastise her. Her mama, on the other hand, would narrow her pretty emerald eyes and sigh.

Kaya's little fingers slid expertly over the clay ball she was currently shaping as she smiled absently. She missed her parents, of course, but what she really wanted was for Kazuki and Toshio to come back from their D-ranked mission (apparently they got in trouble with Shika-sama due to a prank they played on the Hyuuga twins) and take her to Ichiraku.

Pressing her fingertips on one side of the ball, the result of her action left a little peak in the clay. Something that could be the beak of a bird, but she didn't want to make a bird. She was aware that her daddy was set on making her learn the art of creating explosive birds, but she was content with making dogs, grasshoppers and even mice.

She remembered how both Shika-sama's daughters had screamed the last night when a white little mouse escaped from her hands towards Asuma-kun during dessert, their screams making Asuma laugh out loud while Shika-sama sighed grumpily and Temari-sama hid her smile behind her coffee cup. It had been fun, but later Shika-sama had advised Kaya about his daughters' temper. She wasn't afraid of a pair of Chuunin-level kunoichi, but since she was staying in the Hokage's home she merely nodded, but placed a trap on the door of her bedroom.

She knew she had done the right thing when she went down for breakfast the next morning and discovered both girls with a gray goop on their hair. Temari-sama had seen the entire setup and hadn't said anything, because she knew her daughters were about to pay the little one back for what she had done to them.

And secretly, she cheered on the little one for standing up to the older girls. Sakura and Deidara had taught their girl well. She had the skills of a graduate already, a little prodigy, but her father had been adamant in letting her go through the Academy courses at a normal pace.

Shaping the clay into four paws and a muzzle, she finished creating the little pug that resembled the one she liked to summon on Sundays. Pakkun, the old dog, had introduced Kaya to the rest of the pack, earning a lot of cold noses and tongues lapping at her face in greeting. She was ecstatic, naturally, especially when she got back from a run with the dogs and found her parents hugging each other, sitting on the engawa as they exchanged whispers and little kisses.

They broke apart when the little clay dog she had been practicing during her outing with the ninken ran to them, shaking its little clay tail. She didn't know how to control her chakra infusion yet, so the dog just fell, unmoving... until her daddy had poked it with a finger.

The result still made her mother laugh until she had to grab her stomach, especially during the time her daddy's eyebrows had to be treated to grow back. He hadn't said anything, but she had caught a glint of pride in his lovely blue eyes.

That was why she was sitting outside, on the stairs. She needed to get the hang of the amount of chakra the clay animals needed in order to move for a long time, but not explode.

Placing the little pug at her side, she pulled another ball of clay from her pouch and started molding a bird. While Kaya worked, she remembered the time when her mama had tried to shape something, under her daddy's watchful gaze. Her pink-haired mother had made a bird, but it was a really strange one, a long neck and a baggy beak. It didn't move, of course, because mama didn't have mouths on her hands. She had stuck her tongue out at Daddy when he said that her molding skills sucked, but that he loved her anyway.

But he was the one who had sulked when Kaya declared that she liked to mold dogs more than birds.

Sighing in satisfaction, she placed the finished piece next to the dog, grabbing another piece and getting back to work. So intent she was with practice that she failed to see a pair of girls that were on the top of the stairs, pushing a large bucket of water to splash it down the steps.

But she felt a pair of strong arms surrounding her suddenly, snatching her from her spot on the stairs and transporting her to the balcony that was over the staircase. That was the balcony where her mama told her she liked to have interviews with her Sannin shishou.

Looking to the kidnapper and opening her mouth to yell at him, Kaya was surprised to find dark eyes staring right back at her.

"Kazuki?"

"Yo, Kaya-chan," he smiled easily, watching how the little one in his arms blushed prettily. "It seems you need another lesson on awareness of your surroundings."

Kaya blinked, furrowing her brows in puzzlement. A ball of yellow landed next to them, carrying what was left of her clay pieces.

"I'm sorry, Kaya-chan, I couldn't get them on time," Toshio said with sheepishly. The clay had washed away in really weird shapes, making the dog and the bird look horrible. Kaya scowled.

"But I--" she trailed off when she noticed the Hokage's daughters jumping away from the tower. In a flash she understood everything. A smirk had made its way onto her young features, knowing they had just declared a prank war on her.

"Are you okay?" Kazuki asked mildly, exchanging a look with his brother. The little blonde nodded, motioning for him to set her down.

"They're just mad because I set a mouse free on the table," she explained to her friends, who exchanged another look and smirked.

"Is that so?" asked Toshio, his smile widening as she explained the episode to them. "Maybe we could help you; they were the ones who pranked the Hyuuga guys and we weren't even in on the operation."

"What do you have in mind?" Kazuki asked, his onyx eyes dancing with mischief. Toshio merely grinned, squinting his pearly-colored orbs in a perfect expression that screamed trouble.

A while later, a very busy Shikamaru heard a knock on his office door. Grumbling in his usual manner for his visitor to get inside, he was greeted with a pair of Hyuuga young Jounin bringing his daughters tied up with ninja wire.

The brilliant Kage just sighed deeply, knowing perfectly well who was involved with this little prank.

Encased in the warmth that provided the Ichiraku ramen stand, two teenagers, one blond and one dark-haired, laughed their heads off as a little blonde girl finished recounting her part of their little scheme.

It had been quite easy to fool the Nara girls; after all, both of them had some sort of crushes on both the Uzumaki and the Uchiha heirs, so it had been a piece of cake to tie them up and deliver them to the Jounin headquarters, where they knew the Hyuuga twins were investigating past missions for an assignment.

The owner of the restaurant, a very kind old lady called Ayame laughed along with the youngsters as the little girl brought forth a cute little miniature dog that attempted to bark at the ramen pot. So engrossed they were with her creation that they missed a couple that peeked at them under the flaps of the entrance.

Deidara lifted a brow at his daughter's jubilance as she sat with her friends, and Sakura just smiled widely at how well she was interacting with her so-called cousins.

Watching their offspring making the others laugh and hearing how they got back at the Nara girls, it just made them realize that their girl not only was intelligent and gracious, but also mischievous and cocky, just like her parents.

But most importantly, they realized that their little girl was growing up just fine.

"Want to go inside?" Deidara asked in a soft whisper. "We can have ramen and then go home, yeah."

Sakura merely smiled at her lover. "Sure, why not."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Much love to Cynchick for her beta work! 8D


	13. Theme 11

**Our Artistic Ways**

**Theme 11: Role models don't Approve**

-

Something moved beyond his resting spot, but he didn't bother to bat an eyelash.

This was a game he liked to play with his daughter. Deidara just sat under the tree, closed his eyes and waited for Kaya to pounce on him. He maintained that this helped refine her stealth skills, and Sakura just rolled her eyes and let them do as they pleased.

After all, Kaya's mother knew that her lover liked to reassure their daughter's existence from time to time. He hadn't exactly had a happy childhood, he was adamant in showing his little girl how loved she was from both of them... especially him.

Kaya was delighted, of course, and took part in her daddy's schemes with great joy. That was how their father-daughter moments were, and Sakura was happy to know that Deidara experienced something that he hadn't had back in Iwa.

But when a six year old Kaya said that she couldn't spend the Saturday morning with her father due to a play date she had with Kazuki and Toshio, Sakura saw how Deidara struggled not to scowl.

After bidding goodbye to their daughter, Sakura turned to her life partner and snorted at the oh-so-famous frown-pout he sported when he wasn't getting his way.

"What's so funny?" he asked grumpily. She shook her head and stood on her tiptoes, kissing him on the tip of his nose.

"You're jealous," she teased, inwardly laughing at Deidara's shocked and sulky face.

"Of those little punks? Right," he said much too soon, still frowning. "I'm just looking out for my girl's wellbeing, yeah."

"She's old enough to know how to do things, love. Trust her a little."

"I trust her, but I don't trust those brats."

"Aw, come on," Sakura said, taking his hand and pulling him towards the street. He sighed and let her manhandle him, knowing she wasn't taking no for an answer when they needed to get groceries.

As they passed through the stalls of the market, Deidara's mind was focused on the clay contraption that his right hand was constructing without his lover's knowledge. Right by the apples stall, a little spider crawled its way towards the roofs of Konoha.

Afterward, Sakura vaguely asked herself why Deidara looked so absent during the day.

Kaya returned home with dirty clothes and a brilliant smile, relating to her mama how Kazuki and Toshio took her to the Hokage monument, recounting how much fun she had had with the young teens as they climbed all the way to Naruto-sama's face. Toshio had explained how his father used to prank on their Academy teacher, making Sakura laugh with nostalgia. Back then, Iruka-sensei had been livid with the blond's pranks, chasing the young jinchuuriki all over the village.

Sakura agreed with her little girl, adding two or three things to the story, feeling her lover's presence as he leaned on the wall outside the kitchen, listening intently. She didn't know why, but he liked to hear about her childhood. Maybe it was because, unlike him, she had had a somewhat happy one? She wasn't about to ask, preferring to let him do as he pleased.

"Mama, who was your first boyfriend?" asked her daughter, breaking her from her reverie.

The pink-haired woman had to bite her own tongue in order not to burst out laughing at the sudden stillness outside the kitchen. "Well... my first boyfriend was a man with dark hair and dark eyes."

Kaya's eyes widened in awe. "Just like Kazuki, right?"

"Exactly. Although this man had really long hair, and sometimes was a bit of a jerk."

Hearing the muffled derisive snort outside, she continued. "But he was really _smart_, and very, very handsome."

"Oh..." Kaya sighed with a smile. "What was his name, mama?"

"Er... his name was Raven, Kaya."

"Eh? I thought his name was Kakashi!"

Sakura laughed and pulled her blonde little girl to her lap. "No, actually, Kakashi had gray eyes and silver hair."

"Oh! He must have looked awesome..."

Thoroughly amused by her daughter's girly reactions, Sakura continued, keeping in mind the eavesdropper that was outside the kitchen. "Yes, he did. He was one of a kind."

"And afterwards?" Kaya asked, stifling a giggle.

"After him... I fell in love with your daddy," she said fondly. "He had been my friend for quite a while, and when we met again it was just... perfect."

Kaya sighed again, leaning on her mother's chest. "And who do you love the most?"

"There are different kinds of love, Kaya," she explained softly, looking up to see Deidara leaning on the doorjamb. "There's familial love, there's friendly love, and there's also romantic love, and the love of one's life."

"And which one of those is Daddy for you?"

Sakura smiled softly, looking into Deidara's blue eyes. "All of them."

"Do you think I'll find someone like that?"

"Of course you will! You're a gorgeous girl, I'm sure you'll have tons of boyfriends when you're older."

Sakura had to cackle inwardly at her lover's scowl.

-X-

The second Saturday that Kaya told her parents she was going to her so-called cousins' home to spend the day with them, Deidara couldn't contain his frown-pout. His daughter noticed, of course.

"...What's wrong, Daddy?" she asked, fine blonde eyebrows drawing together in concern and dismay. "You... you don't like them, do you?"

"Well, to be honest, I'm not very convinced of Sharingan-kun and the Rasengan gaki, yeah," he said, noticing how Sakura had rolled her eyes in exasperation behind Kaya's back. The blonde girl pouted so fiercely that for a moment he truly thought she was about to throw a temper tantrum.

To his surprise (and Sakura's inner amusement), Kaya only breathed deeply and went back to her breakfast. Deidara could clearly feel his daughter's chakra spiking in anger, but her seemingly calm façade confused him. However, Sakura had figured out their girl's stunt.

And she wasn't about to say anything, because it was high time for Deidara to stop being such an overbearing daddy. Especially when their beautiful daughter was soon to be graduated from the Ninja Academy. No matter how much they had insisted that Kaya needed to go through the courses like a normal kid, her own teachers found themselves stumped with the girl's cunning, suddenly having nothing else to teach her and therefore sending her to the upper level class.

And it was also a good idea for Deidara warm up to the idea of Kaya hanging out with other males. Not too soon, and in the blink of an eye, they would realize that Kaya was old enough for dating, and even if her blond lover didn't want to think about interviewing some young punk that wanted to get his filthy hands on his little girl, Sakura had to prepare her life-partner (and herself) for the daunting idea of parenting a teenager.

Especially when she knew that Kaya liked a young man fifteen years older than her.

All in all, Sakura really didn't have any complaints about her daughter's crush. After all, she herself had loved a man that had been fourteen years her senior, and she hadn't minded in the least because she had grown up by his side anyway. Kakashi had given her everything she could have asked for and more. And the boy Asuma had been always very polite and charming towards Kaya.

Thinking as a mother should think, Sakura found herself wishing that Kaya crushed on Kazuki or Toshio, but that was asking for trouble with Deidara. He was always as grumpy as an ogre when they dropped by to visit their auntie Sakura, especially when the young Uchiha boy smiled at his little girl... and she blushed unconsciously in response.

Sakura had laughed softly, murmuring to him that maybe it was a trait inherited from her, since the pink-haired woman had been quite taken with the dark looks of Kazuki's father, back then in her teenage years. It was an Uchiha thing, she said.

Of course, Deidara hadn't been actually pleased with that remark at all. Sakura had laughed at his expense, but had to run from his retaliation afterwards. The good thing was that she had managed to get Deidara's mind from his usual grouchy behavior when Kaya went to play with her friends, but in exchange she had brought his _'wrath'_ upon herself.

It was a good thing that Kaya didn't come back home until the end of the day, otherwise they would have been thoroughly caught red-handed, so to speak.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Moar love to Cynchick for her awesome beta work! And thank you guys for reading! 8D


	14. Theme 14

**Our Artistic Ways**

**Theme 14: Uncomfortable situations**

-

Kaya's smile was so brilliant that he could see Sakura's genes taking over when he saw his little girl accepted the hitai-ate from her sensei, signifying her achieved level as genin. It was Kaya's graduation from the Academy, and to Deidara's chagrin, he had to sit next to Kazuki, Toshio and a rather amused – but incredibly proud – Sakura, who had cheered like mad when they heard the blonde girl's name called out.

It had been a rather bright and lovely morning until those brats chose to appear, telling their auntie Sakura that Kaya had invited them to her graduation. Kazuki had greeted Deidara with his usual polite, brilliantly cultivated manners, whereas Toshio had merely waved informally, calling a 'yo!' with a mischievously wide grin.

Deidara's attitude towards both the Uzumaki's and last Uchiha's offspring had improved during the months his daughter took to pass her last Academy course. He had observed how they had helped Kaya practice her techniques, especially those that were going to be reviewed by her teacher, in order to pass her genin exam.

Not that she had needed the help, though, he thought smugly.

But then he observed how Kaya had behaved, demure and shy, when they had bumped into the young jounin Asuma, Kurenai's son. The blonde girl's cheeks had dusted with the loveliest shade of pink as she clasped her hands behind her back and drank in the words Asuma was speaking to Sakura. Kaya's emerald eyes were shining in obvious adoration for the young man as he mussed her hair – _her hair!_ – in a playful manner.

Kaya never allowed anyone but her parents to touch her hair. Not even Kazuki or Toshio were permitted to mess with those brilliant golden locks. Not to mention Deidara had to be particularly careful when playing with her, due to his bloodline trait, because Kaya simply _hated_ getting clay on her hair. Sakura was another matter altogether, maybe because they were both girls, he mused thoughtfully.

Then, his fatherly senses kicked in. _This_ was the guy that Kaya liked.

When Kaya was busy receiving Kazuki and Toshio's congratulatory words, Sakura glanced at her life-partner, knowing he had finally figured out their girl's tastes in the opposite gender.

"Come on, Deidara, it's just a childhood crush," Sakura said to her sulking lover. "Let her enjoy her life to the fullest."

The ex-Iwa nin frown-pouted, decidedly unhappy with this unexpected turn of events.

Hell, it was better for Kaya to crush on the Uchiha brat, he thought. When he spoke his mind to Sakura, she nodded in agreement, watching the teens teasing the blonde girl as she laughed happily, shooting back remark after remark, ever the true daughter of Sakura and Deidara, both proud, cocky smartasses.

"Yeah, I thought about that too. But every girl has a crush on someone older at some point, didn't you know?"

Sakura's tone was teasing, but he caught onto her meaning swiftly enough. Only then, did he realize he was alone in his fatherly crusade against the young Konoha punks.

Deidara despaired internally, almost pleading to every god not to allow his little girl become a pretty teenager.

But suddenly Kaya ran back to them, and he lowered his arms mechanically. She might be six, and a genin to boot, but she never shied away from showering affection on her daddy and her mama.

If she ever started calling him 'dad', he might as well start looking for a cane and a rocking chair, he shuddered inwardly.

"I did it!" the blonde girl whooped in his arms triumphantly. "Daddy, aren't you happy for me? Now I can be a super cool ninja like you and mama! And I'm happy because Asuma will be my sensei!"

"Yeah, such a glorious day," he drawled. Sakura shot a glare at him. "Isn't this Asuma kid too young to have students?"

"No, daddy, he's a jounin! And he always helped Kazu, Toshi and me when we went to the lake to practice!"

Deidara rolled his eyes. Yep, he was totally alone in his crusade.

"Are you happy, Kaya?" Sakura asked with a smile. "Now you'll have the chance to do some missions. Remember to pay attention to everything your sensei says, alright?"

"Yeah, always pay attention," Deidara agreed as the jounin in question stepped near to them, greeting with respect and smiling at the blonde girl. She looked ecstatic.

"Please take care of Kaya, Asuma-kun," his life partner said. "She might be a tough cookie, but she's our only baby."

"I promise, Haruno-san," Kurenai's son said seriously. "I'll protect her with everything I have."

"Better believe I'll hold you to your word on that, yeah."

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** Of course, Deidara isn't very happy with this. Thank you guys for reading! 8D


	15. Theme 15

**Our Artistic Ways**

**Theme 15: Supporting the Other**

-

"Are you still pouting, hmm?" was the question the wind carried from the man currently sitting in front of her, guiding the large clay bird.

Sakura snorted disdainfully. "I'm still pissed," she admitted, smirking knowingly at her lover's back. "And don't tell me you aren't mad, because I _know_ you are."

"Psh, you were the one that argued with Shikamaru about Kaya's genin team, yeah," he pointed out. "I'm not too fond of her being in a team with that Asuma kid, but as long as she's happy..."

"You're such a liar, Deidara," she grumbled, leaning her head between his shoulder blades to get some cover from the cool wind. "What do you think is better for her, having a jounin to protect her, or having _a jounin and two chuunin_ to protect her?"

"Sharingan-kun and Rasengan-brat," the blonde man sniffed haughtily. "Aren't they too young to be taking the jounin exam? I'll have to ask Nara if he's not being too lenient on the tests, yeah."

"Yeah, right," she sneered. "I still think they are the best teammates for Kaya, that's all."

Deep inside, he knew she was right; the mere thought of Kaya facing danger always made his blood run cold. It was better if she was in a team where her comrades could protect her.

He knew that, Sakura knew that, and Shikamaru knew that, but somehow the Hokage wasn't so keen on placing Kaya with three operatives older than her. He felt she needed to remain within the village until she was at least ten, but Sakura felt that the overprotective care the Hokage was bestowing upon Kaya was, while touching, not really necessary. She was a little prodigy, whether Deidara liked it or not. She might have graduated from the Academy, but it would be a long while until she was able to take on potentially dangerous tasks.

That's what Deidara had thought, but Sakura demonstrated to both he and the Hokage that Kaya wasn't exactly the delicate flower they thought she was. It only took a little sparring session with her mama to show how agile and damn fast the blonde girl was.

Her Kekkei Genkai was well on its way to being as powerful as her daddy's. This, coupled with the fact that the chakra control she had on her bloodline limit allowed Kaya to mold sculptures faster and more detailed than her daddy, made her a strong adversary, even against a seasoned chuunin. Also, their girl had always used her petite size to gain advantage, literally slipping through her opponent's hands like if she was made of water... or clay.

"We're about to arrive," Deidara said, changing the topic. "Keep your eyes closed, yeah. No peeking."

"I'm not peeking," his pink-haired life partner snickered behind him. "Where are you taking me anyway? Aren't we going to Kisame's?"

"Nope," he answered with a smug smirk. "It's a surprise."

"I hate surprises," she rebuked as she allowed him to blindfold her.

"No you don't, and I know you'll love this one," he shot back easily. "I heard there were a few changes and remodeling of the main building, but I'm sure you'll recognize the place in a second."

"...Where are you taking me? Come on, tell me!"

"Didn't I tell you, hmm?" he answered, greatly amused by watching her pout like a child. "It's a surprise."

"Ass."

"I love you too, yeah."

-X-

Really, she should have known. Especially when he gave the name 'Yamada' to the person that greeted them after they landed and walked for a short while.

"You've got to be kidding me," she breathed when Deidara took her blindfold off and allowed her to see where they were.

It was the resort they had stayed in on that fateful mission, the assignment that brought them together in a bond that time only fortified.

"Nope, not kidding at all," he murmured behind Sakura as his arms wrapped around her waist. "Happy tenth anniversary, yeah."

"This is... aw, hell. You're going to make me cry."

"I don't mind," he replied easily as he kicked one of their suitcases out of the way and scooped her in his arms in the same motion. "But I'd rather you cry from sheer pleasure, hmm?"

Sakura laughed as he rushed them into the bedroom that had been their silent accomplice in the beginning of their wonderful, long-lasting idyll. Those same bedroom walls bounced their gasps and moans throughout the suite a little while later, as if they too were reminiscing those unique moments spent together within that enclosed space.

A long while later, she stretched lazily, still feeling the little aftershocks of the last orgasm he had relentlessly provoked in her body. "This is the best present ever," she declared, smiling at the blond man with the long, mussed hair who seemed to be asleep next to her. Deidara smirked without opening his eyes and deeply inhaled the scent that permeated the room. Sex. Mind-blowing, amazing, passionate sex. He was simply addicted to the aroma they both created whenever they were together like this.

"I'm glad you like it," he said, as his arm brought her upper body to rest on his. Sakura smiled at her lover, gathering long locks of his golden hair to play with.

"I wonder for how long you've been planning this," she mused, arching a slanted brow at him. "Yamada-san."

"Since Kaya entered the Academy, Yamada-san," he answered cockily. "And that stupid fish-face didn't make the plan easier by bringing up that damn black bikini of yours every single time he could, yeah."

She laughed, placing a loving kiss on his lips. They stayed like that for a moment, enjoying the companionable silence that was so comfortable between them as long as they had been together.

She had been suitably surprised, of course. He had planned this for quite a while, it seemed. When she had asked him why they hadn't dropped by the resort before, he merely shrugged.

"They were making so many renovations that I had to partially buy the place in order to have it back to how we remembered it. At least, this section of rooms. Kisame and his lady helped me by keeping an eye on this while I was in Konoha keeping an eye on you and the girl, yeah."

"But isn't this against your artistic motto?" she teased. "Having something unchanged and still for a long time?"

"Maybe," he conceded, caressing his pink-haired lover's face with the back of his fingers. "But I wanted to give you this. Afterwards, they're going to remodel this section as they planned to."

"But we'll have our tenth anniversary moment here," she whispered. "Thank you, Deidara... I love you so much."

"And I love _you_, yeah."

They spent five days in the resort. The black bikini worked its magic on Deidara's willpower, sending the bathing suit flying as soon as he saw Sakura wearing it. His hand-mouths were put to good use, as they reenacted the steamy scene in the private hot tub in their room. Moving together, they realized that time had molded them into halves of one entity. They were one, and their dynamics were as smooth as if they'd been together forever.

And in certain ways, they had.

-X-

"I'm almost sad to leave this place," she said, as they finished packing. There was no stolen sword that prompted a hasty retreat, just a couple that checked out of their escapade right on time. "But we have to go back home soon. Kaya will likely throw a fit if we're late."

"I'd say it's certain that she _will_ throw a fit," Deidara smiled. "But I'm sure Sharingan-kun and Rasengan-brat will curb her violent tendencies, which she got from you."

"Look, it's the psychotic arsonist talking," she shot back. "You see why she needs to be with Kazu and Toshi? They're the only ones that can control her, aside from us."

"Yeah, yeah."

Blue eyes met contemplative green. "You know...I've always wondered what you would have done if we hadn't both taken that job for Yotsuba..."

Deidara shrugged, smirk in place. "I probably would have eventually gone around asking about you."

"Really?" she asked, smiling softly. His smirk transformed into a true smile, the one that he only showed to her and their little girl.

"Yeah."

It really was something they were grateful for. They had encountered by chance or destiny, but the truth was that they both had found the respite they needed after so many battles and so much grief. Their threads were entwined, and nothing would set them apart again.

Life was sometimes hard, raising a child while knowing she would take part in the ninja ways, but one thing was for sure.

They were going to keep living every day to the fullest, together, grateful for the Gods' blessing that shone over them.

-

_- Tenna' ento lye omenta -_

-XxX-

**AN:** It was a bit difficult for me to finish this, because I wanted to end this with something fluffy and cute for Cynny. I do hope you like it, haha. The resort idea was entirely hers, and it was so OSM that I just had to humor her. 8D

Of course, I'd like to thank Cynchick herself for her help with this collection - even if I re-read Perception and Silver Lining on a regular basis, she certainly knows her stuff better than me. XD

Thanks for reading!


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